SeeCalifornia.com

By C. MacDonald

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, CA–Brothers Lance and Dave Martin, whose dad was a barber, are two of the nicest, most-talented barbers/hair stylists you’ll ever come across.  At Lance’s shop, On Deck Barbers, 17925 Magnolia St., they appear well-groomed, soft-spoken and gentlemen to a “T”.  But come Halloween–watch out!

Their legendary shop, known for its baseball theme, has been invaded by monsters, ghosts, bats, a banjo-playing-singing skeleton, a horrifying-talking butler, a scary vampire and more. “It’s really a blast coming here this time of year–like being at Universal Studios,” said Ronald Jane of Santa Ana. “They give the customers an extra thrill.”

Lance showed another patron a photo of how he looked before going to a recent party. The spooky picture has him as a very believable monster, every bit as ghoulish as any Halloween characters you come across at Knott’s Scary Farm or the Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor.

“I sat down and created the look myself,” said the creative author/artist/cartoonist of two sensational books, “The Foul Ball” and “The Little Hermit.” “I like the creepy characters,” said the mild-mannered guy, who has designed and put together many a scary monster as well as purchased others. “Halloween is such a really fun time of year.”

Lance has thrown some famous Halloween parties, complete with his incredible collection of monsters and spooks, at his home and he has entertained his lucky customers with his own version of “October Madness” for 17 years.

Most of his patrons, which have included a Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer, best-selling author and gold record singer, love the “extra scare.” But one, after looking at the photo of Lance’s self-created “Monster Head Makeover,” jokingly said, “I don’t know if I want to sit in your chair. You send a shiver down my spine. Please don’t take too much off!”

(You can read more about these friendly, fun, incredible creative barbers at ondeckbarbers.com)