LEXINGTON, Va. Oct. 22, 2025 — A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Virginia Military Institute barbershop was held Oct. 17 in Old Barracks. Superintendent Lt. Gen. David Furness ’87, along with Glenda Dudley, manager of the barber shop, cut the ribbon, officially opening the new space for business.

Furness, who first teased cadets in the room by threatening to cut their hair himself, stated sincerely, “It’s a great facility. I was in there earlier today,” pointing to a barber chair. “It will help with a lot more throughput, and it’s a much nicer space. The cadets will be well served. I appreciate it.”

According to Capt. Bryan Fix, engineering technician in the Office of Facilities Management and project manager for the construction of the new barbershop, the space is twice the size as the old location, and from planning to completion, the project took 18 months.

“Construction alone took 4 ½ months and involved demolition of the old laundry infrastructure, leveling the floor, and installation of new plumbing and HVAC systems.” The space was previously used for the cadet coin-operated laundry, which will be relocated to the old barbershop site and available for use by the start of spring semester.   

The new shop has a spacious waiting area, eight barber chairs, two shampoo and styling stations in a private area, office space for Dudley, a bathroom and kitchenette for staff members, and windows overlooking North Post. A touch screen eases the check-in and check-out process and allows cadets to monitor their wait time. A large screen TV will also be installed in the waiting area. Dudley stated that the additional space was sorely needed, as the barbershop stays busy. “We have 10 barbers, including myself, and we are able to do four to five haircuts per barber per hour. In addition, we plan for a hair stylist from Portsmouth to come for special occasions.”

Lee Clark ’93, director of Auxiliary Services, added, “The new shop provides an expanded set of capabilities to provide improved support for the entire Corps of Cadets, as well as improved working conditions for the barbershop team.”

As testament to the demand for service, the waiting area was full of cadets needing trims, and eight were getting cuts during the ribbon cutting. One of the cadets in a chair, Stephen Dean III ’26, football team captain, shared the new shop has a lively energy running through it. “You can tell it was very well planned and put together. I look forward to getting more haircuts from my favorite barber.” 

Marianne Hause
Communications & Marketing
VIRGINIA MILITARY INSTITUTE