How many of us can honestly say we knew what we wanted to do with our lives at the age of seven years old? Well for one person in Demopolis, this statement is true.

Loeletha Rowser, who is calmly known as just “Mrs. Rowser” has been doing what she loves for over 40 years now. She’s only wanted to do one thing in her life and she’s been doing ever since thanks to humble beginnings.

“Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve always wanted to be a barber,” “There’s just something about cutting hair that I love,” Rowser said.

When she was a little girl, one of 14 brothers and sisters growing up in Octogon, AL, a small community just seven miles south of Linden, AL. She wanted to cut and style hair for her sisters and brothers.

“I knew when I was going to Linden Academy, now George P. Austin Junior High, that when I dropped out my 11th grade year, I was going to be a barber,” she said.

When she was 17, she got married to J.B. Rowser, who was a shoe shiner and barber here in Demopolis. They had their first barbershop in the building next to the Demopolis Inn back in 1966.

“I remember the shop close to the Demopolis Inn,” “That building was made for a barbershop and we stayed there from 1966 to the time of J.B. ‘s death in 1984,” she said.

They needed to renovate the motel, so she decided to pack up shop after her husband’s death and relocate to the building next to the Demopolis Snack and Deli in 1984. She stayed in this building until 1999, when she moved to her present location behind Demopolis Feed and Tack.

“I can remember those old days at the old shop, when regular haircuts only cost $1.25 and flattops cost $1.75” “I still only charge five dollars for a haircut, so not much has changed in 40 years, ” she said.

She thinks she’s the cheapest haircut in town at only five dollars, and she likes it like that. “I would rather be busy making five dollars a cut, then charging $10 – $15 and just sitting around, ” she said.

She wants to thank the community for all their love and support over her 40 years of cutting hair in Demopolis. She also wants to let the public know that she has no thought of retiring because she’s in good health and loves her job too much to give it up.

“I love cutting hair because it allows me a chance to get to know a lot of great people here in Demopolis and around Alabama,” “Thanks to the people of Demopolis because with you, I can’t make the register ring,” she said.