SALINE, MI -- Marty Flint may have been a well-known barber in Saline, but he was known for far more than just his haircuts.
The longtime barber and business owner died on Thursday, Aug. 17 at his home in Tecumseh, just a couple of years following a cancer diagnosis in 2021.
Flint had quite the reputation in Saline with his business, Excalibur Barber Shop, which became a go-to spot for many families for haircuts over the past 54 years at 109 S. Ann Arbor St. before closing at the beginning of August.
Marty’s wife, Alice Flint, said Marty was on his fourth generation of cutting hair and would have continued working if he wasn’t as sick as he was. Kassie Miller, Marty’s daughter, shared the barber was so invested in his career that he would even go through the motions of cutting hair while he was asleep.
Read more: ‘No one is going to fill his shoes’: Saline barber shop closes after more than 50 years
Flint graduated from the Detroit Barber College and began his career with two barbershops in Detroit before opening Excalibur Barber Shop in Saline where he would soon become a staple for the community.
Sherri Wielfaert worked her first job with Marty for seven months before opening her own business, Viking Barber Shop, in Dundee. While her time knowing him may have been short, she said Marty taught her the importance of positivity.
“He was just always a friendly guy and in a good mood and that’s how you have to be if you’re going to be in business,” she said. “Even if you’re having a bad day, no one else knows you’re having a bad day.”
Wielfaert said she has even had some of Marty’s customers who have come to her barber shop mention how he remained positive even while undergoing chemotherapy.
Bill Stolberg worked under Marty for four year before opening Bill’s Barber Shop in Saline. He said Marty was an expert at flattop haircuts and, above all, making people feel comfortable.
“He was a rainbow in a world of cloudy days,” Stolberg said. “He wouldn’t speak negatively about anybody and he always made you feel good about yourself when you left. If you were having a tough day, you forgot about it for (the time) you were in his chair... He was a ray of sunshine.”
When he wasn’t cutting hair, Marty was often stopping at Benny’s Bakery almost every day for a sweet treat. While Owner Steve Babiak may not have ever received a hair cut from Marty, he said the barber’s positive attitude continued beyond Excalibur Barber Shop.
“He just brought a smile to everybody’s face and was easygoing and easy to talk to,” he said. “He will be missed for sure. Saline lost a good man.”
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