Historic barbershop on Main Street in North Myrtle Beach bought. Will it reopen?
Brothers Lynwood and Bobby Lewis operated the Ocean Drive Barbershop along North Myrtle Beach’s main drag for more than a half century.
The two spent most of their barber career cutting hair next to each other before Lynwood retired. Then it was only Bobby left manning one of the two chairs in the shop.
But when Bobby Lewis passed away in September, just a little more than a year after his older brother, it was not know what would happen to the longtime barbershop.
Now, a family known for it preservation and ownership of several properties in North Myrtle Beach has purchased the business and plans to reopen the barbershop. The shop has been closed since late 2024 after Bobby Lewis became ill, H.G. Worley Jr. said.
The Worley family bought the building after reaching out to Bobby Lewis’ family when he passed away last year, Worley said.
The family said the purchase of the Main Street barbershop reflects their continued commitment to reinvesting in Ocean Drive while preserving the character and history that define the community, according to a press release.
The family is currently redeveloping the former Duffy Street Seafood Shack on Main Street. The new development will see the expansion of ice cream shop Melt, a new restaurant and retail space for new businesses.
“We’ve always believed in Main Street and what it represents,” Worley said in the release. “This isn’t about changing what makes this place special. It’s about protecting it and making sure it continues serving the community for years to come.”
The family is seeking an experienced barber to work at the historic location, the release said.
“This shop has been part of the fabric of Main Street for many years,” said Harold Worley, H.G. Worley’s father. “We’re honored to continue that legacy and look forward to finding the right person to carry it forward.”
Oldest barbershop in South Carolina
The Ocean Drive Barbershop was opened by the Lewis brothers’ father in 1952. It has been in the same location for 74 years and has been recognized as one of the oldest barbershops in South Carolina.
Outside the shop, a sign reads “Lee Lewis Apts. Rooms Barber Shop.” The brothers’ mother once rented the apartments attached to the back of the barbershop, but they are now closed.
Worley said there are plans to remodel the apartments and eventually open them up for rental.
Many people over the years have offered to buy the property, located in a prime spot along North Myrtle Beach’s main drag, and was bought by Robert Edward Lee Lewis for $1,500 in the 1940s, Bobby Lewis said in a previous interview. But the Lewis brothers always declined to sell. Lewis said in 2023 that he’ll “keep the barber shop as long as I’m living.”
Bobby Lewis passed away at age 84 in September 2025 and his brother, Lynwood, passed away at age 94 in November 2024.
