Clint Chism demonstrates his barber skills on his longtime friend, David Glenn, who was his first customer at Chism?s new business, Rooster's Main Street Barber Shop, which opened Tuesday in Downtown Benton. (Courier photo by Lynda Hollenbeck)

Want a haircut or a shave? And a little chatter to go with it? If you’re in Downtown Benton, you don’t have to go far because a new barber shop is open at 120 N. Main St.
Clint Chism is the owner and barber-in-chief of Rooster’s Main Street Barber Shop.
With this venture, Chism, a former employee of  Saline Memorial Hospital, has entered a new profession in mid-life.
“I worked for 20 years in the maintenance department at Saline Memorial and then was in a paint contracting business for six years,” Chism said. “Then I decided it was time to do something else.”
The “something else” turned out to be barber school.
Last year Chism attended ABC Barber School in Hot Springs and recently completed the training.
On Tuesday, he opened for business at the Main Street site, which for many years housed Enterprise Shoe Shop.
“This is just an old-fashioned barber shop,” Chism said.
“I considered other locations, but I like Downtown Benton. I like all the improvements that have been made here, and I want to be part of it.
“I hope to be at this location for a long time,” he added.
Chism’s first customer was his longtime friend, David Glenn, who had let his beard and hair grow for an extended time in order to add some flavor to opening day at Rooster’s.
The two men have been friends for “at least 25 years,” Chism said. “He’s a great guy and wanted to be part of my first day.”
    “This is a great location for a barber shop,” Glenn said. “We like it. This is a place for real hometown folks.”
    And for anyone else who wants to drop by for a haircut or a shave or to just visit a while, Chism added.
    Early today Chism said business is “going great. It’s been better than I expected for such a short time to be open. I’m pleased, especially since I don’t have my signage up yet.”
    Chism said the shop’s sign and old-fashioned barber pole “should be up by the middle of next week.”
    A grand opening is planned soon, Chism said. Details will be announced.
    The shop is open from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesdays-Fridays and from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays.
    Chism and his wife, Denise, reside on Mars Hills Road. The couple share six children.
    “I had three children and she had three,” Chism said. “When we married, we formed a kind of Brady Bunch.”
    Denise Chism is the director of nursing at Benton Health Care.