"I never got one of those," Snyder said. "But I know some other guys did."

Snyder's favorite part about getting his hair cut at Paul's Barber Shop was the friendship he built along the way. He and Oxford would talk about sports, local news, whatever. They may not have always agreed, but it was always great conversation.

"Even after they got their hair cut, people still wanted to stay around and talk," Snyder said.

Oxford, who grew up south of Broken Bow, settled in Burwell after returning from barber school in Omaha and working as an apprentice in Broken Bow.

He may be leaving the downtown square, but he plans to spend plenty of time around town, fishing, golfing and gardening, during his retirement.

He'll also probably still be a regular at the coffee shop in the mornings, gathered with businessmen and ranchers, young and old. The respect he sees there without regard for class distinction, he said, is a perfect example of what he loves about Burwell.

"You can't beat this little town," Oxford said. "Everybody's welcome at that table, as long as you respect the opinions of others."