Calling himself a “tonsorial artist” — an old-school term for a professional barber — F.M. Antuono, better known as “Kid the Barber,” opened his first shop at 213 Twiggs Street in 1902.

Just a year later, in 1903, he relocated to the Elk Barber Shop at 406 Franklin Street — one of Tampa’s largest and busiest barber establishments at the time. The shop was luxurious for its era, offering not just haircuts but also the services of a manicurist, a chiropodist, and even electrical massages. Fifteen white enamel leather chairs lined the walls, each paired with matching enamel sinks. Mounted elk heads added a bold decorative touch, while marble furnishings reinforced the shop’s opulence.

In 1915, Antuono remodeled the Elk Barber Shop to keep pace with Tampa’s rapid growth. He later diversified his business ventures: in 1919, he opened and managed Val’s Corner, a souvenir and sandwich shop located at the northeast corner of Tampa and Lafayette Streets.

By 1929, the Elk Barber Shop had moved to 205 Twiggs Street under new management — possibly a response to the financial pressures of the Great Depression.

Antuono’s entrepreneurial path may have taken some darker turns as well. In 1945, he was charged with operating a gambling house at the 213 Bar, located at 213 Lafayette Street.

He died in 1951.

About the photo: William A. Fishbaugh, a prominent commercial photographer in early 20th-century Tampa, captured the city’s rapid transformation until around 1918, when he sold his business to the Burgert Brothers. He later moved to Miami, where he continued his career until his death in 1950.

 © Chip Weiner. All rights reserved