Wall demolition a blow to barbershop

JILLIAN AUSTIN/BRANDON SUN Enlarge Image

Ken Fowles, owner of Fowles Barbershop on Ninth Street, says his business remains open despite facing building safety concerns triggered by the demolition of an adjacent wall at the former Brandon Inn. The 76-year-old took over the family business in 1966 and has no intention of giving it up any time soon.

The demolition of a wall adjacent to Fowles Barbershop has compromised the structure of the building, effectively putting Ken Fowles out of business, says engineer Phil Dorn.

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Workers take down the final remaining wall from the old Brandon Inn on Thursday. The wall protected Ken Fowles barbershop from lateral winds. (GRANT HAMILTON/BRANDON SUN)

Dorn, who represents Fowles, met with the City of Brandon representatives on site of the demolition at Ninth Street and Princess Avenue on Tuesday, where he advised them against taking down the north wall of the former Brandon Inn.

"There is structural and environmental relationship between the north wall of the Brandon Inn and the south wall of the barbershop," said Dorn, of Samson Engineering. "Secondly I said to the city on site, if you take it down you will put Mr. Fowles, which is an older man, youll put him out of business They chose to disregard that."

The wall was taken down Thursday. Dorn not the city asked Fowles to vacate the building due to safety concerns.

"As an engineer I have to advise him because of his own personal safety and the clients that hes got to vacate his building," Dorn said.

While the two buildings were not physically attached, the walls were very close, and a portion of the former Brandon Inn wall protected the barbershop from lateral wind loads.

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Wall demolition a blow to barbershop