Lansford Alive honored Emil's Barber Shop & Hair with its Black Diamond Award for its business longevity and positive presence in the community at a banquet in the American Legion.

Lansford Alive recognized the value of a century-old business, and the people who make the community better with their presence and service. Black and white pictures of George, Emil and a younger Mary Demyanovich decorated the evening with fond memories.The first barbershop was started by George Demyanovich on March 17, 1914. It was at the corner of Ridge and Second streets in Coaldale. George had four boys and a girl: George Jr., Nick, Emil, Eddie and Ann. The boys grew up involved in the family business and Ann became a nurse. Emil started his barber trade at age 12 in 1928.What is now the Lansford Post Office on the corner of Patterson and Tunnel streets was the location of the barbershop with a shoe shine station where all four of George's boys worked before the war. They all returned from the war, and Nick and Eddie started a barbershop in Tamaqua, and George moved to California. Emil moved to work at a large barbershop in Charleston, South Carolina, where he had made arrangement with the owner to buy the shop from him. But shortly after the agreement, Emil had to move back to run his father's shop after George had been hit by a car.Emil's first shop was on Center Street, and shortly after, he bought the Miller's Dress Shop on 4 E. Ridge St. and established Emil's Barber Shop, which stands today.Emil's daughter Mary began working part time with her father in his golden years, and when Emil battled cancer, she took over the shop, leaving the same name in honor of her loving and hardworking dad.The attendees to the Black Diamond award banquet ceremony were updated by Lansford Alive President Chris Ondrus, with all the accomplishments of the Lansford Alive organization this year, which successfully had cleanup events, held a veterans' dinner, organized the Music in the Park, vendor craft fair, house decorating contest, window painting and tree lighting events throughout Lansford. State Rep. Doyle Heffley addressed those in attendance with words of encouragement about opportunity in the midst of what seems to be hardship, and having the resolve to make things happen and stay the course, commending Emil's Barber Shop for staying in business throughout the years.Nowadays, you still find Mary Demyanovich in her barber coat and dressed with a smile between those vintage barber chairs that belonged to her father, lending an ear to customers, and engaging in picturesque conversation, carrying on her patriarch's barber tradition.