The Weakley County Examiner

Shannon Taylor

CEO/Publisher

What began as an idea more than a decade ago has become a reality in downtown Dresden.

Friends, family, community leaders and supporters gathered for a ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the opening of The Men’s Lounge Barbershop, a new full-service men’s grooming destination at 349 Morrow St. Owners James and Audrea Washburn said the business represents years of planning, prayer and a desire to invest in the community where they were raised.

Erica Moore, Director of the Weakley County Chamber of Commerce, welcomed those in attendance and praised the couple for choosing to bring their vision back to Weakley County.

“This family is invested in local,” Moore said. “When a group, a person or an entity decides to invest in their community in this way, it is a big undertaking. I’m sure they can tell us all about how much of a risk this is. However, this is an investment that they have made into each of us and the future of our community in Dresden and Weakley County.”

Moore said the Washburn’s took their unique talents and chose to pour them back into the place they call home.

“You took your unique skill set and you brought it home, and you’re pouring back into your community,” she said. “We can’t say thank you enough on behalf of the Weakley County Chamber of Commerce.”

City Recorder Jennifer Branscum said the transformation of the building has created something special for Dresden.

“We just want to thank you for your investment in Dresden and renewing this space,” Branscum said. “It’s absolutely breathtaking in here. I was blown away whenever I walked in the door.”

She said the renovation has given new life to the property while filling a need in the community.

“Seeing this spot changed and brought back to life again is a real blessing for the city,” Branscum said. “We thank you for your presence in the community and filling a need that wasn’t there before.”

Mayor Dale Hutcherson reflected on his longtime friendship with James Washburn and said watching friends succeed while investing in their hometown is especially meaningful.

“What’s so encouraging as a friend is watching my other friends succeed, and you’re doing it to the tune of investing in this entire community, which I know you hold dear,” Hutcherson said.

He praised the couple’s commitment to Weakley County and said their investment extends beyond opening a business.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen a building that’s as incredibly beautiful as what y’all have made this,” he said. “A lot of folks in our communities across our county don’t realize they deserve something like this, an investment like what you all made, but they do.”

Hutcherson said projects like The Men’s Lounge can inspire additional investment throughout the county.

“You’re setting the tone,” he said. “When you invest that type of money and that type of heart and sweat and blood into a place like this, it does not go unnoticed. Everyone across this county is going to see this and say, ‘Okay, we can do this type of thing around here.’”

For Audrea Washburn, the opening represented more than the completion of a renovation. It was the fulfillment of years of faith, hard work and support from those closest to her.

“I have been completely overwhelmed by all the support that our community has shown to us,” she said. “It just goes to show that when you pray about something and when you put God first in your life, He’s going to get you through anything and everything possible.”

She credited her husband for believing in the dream from the beginning and thanked family members and friends who helped transform the building into the finished space.

“Without him and the dream that we had about 10 years ago of a place like this here, this wouldn’t be possible,” she said. “I want to thank all of my family and my friends that have come up here and helped, that have found pieces to go into this place and have listened to me cry about how awful it was to make this statement. I just truly thank you all from the bottom of my heart.”

James Washburn said the concept for The Men’s Lounge developed while the couple lived in Louisville and Memphis before returning to Weakley County during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We both grew up here in Weakley County,” he said. “I grew up in Dresden. She grew up in Gleason.”

While living in larger cities, Washburn developed an appreciation for traditional barbershop culture and envisioned bringing that experience back home.

“Every time we go on vacation somewhere, I always go to a different barbershop and get my hair cut just to see what they have going on,” he said.

Over the past two years, he said, the opportunity finally came together after approaching Tim Matlock about purchasing the former building.

“He was basically just using it as a storage facility,” Washburn said. “We randomly approached him and said, ‘Hey, would you be interested in selling? Here’s what we’d like to do.’ He was all about it. He was very enthused to have some life back at this building again.”

Washburn also thanked Iron Dogs Construction for helping turn their vision into reality while staying within budget.

“We’re glad to be able to provide a big-city type feel to a small town, and we wouldn’t want to do it anywhere else,” he said.

The Men’s Lounge offers men’s haircuts, straight-razor shaves with hot towels, shampoos, facials and waxing services. The shop also features a lounge area with large-screen televisions, a pool table, shuffleboard and a dry bar, with plans to add premium hand-rolled cigars and accessories in the future. The business also offers private reservations for wedding parties and groomsmen.

The Men’s Lounge Barbershop is located at 349 Morrow St. in Dresden. Appointments can be scheduled by calling 731-514-5388.