--- title: SR 985. Thomas "Tommy's" Barber Shop; congratulate collection: bills id: 2025-2026/sr985 cite_as: SR 985, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr985 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr985.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr985/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/74201 date: 2026-03-19 status: passed corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13 license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice. up: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026.md previous: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr984.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr986.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 94 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr985.md?full=1 bill_number: SR 985 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: Senate bill_type: resolution status_date: 2026-03-19 last_action: Senate Read and Adopted sponsors: - Bill Cowsert - Greg Dolezal - Chuck Hufstetler - Chuck Payne - Steve Gooch text_version: Enrolled has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SR985/2025 upstream_id: 2135863 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - ceremonial resolution - Buckhead - small business recognition - Georgia Senate --- # SR 985. Thomas "Tommy's" Barber Shop; congratulate ## Text Senate Resolution 985 By: Senators Cowsert of the 46th, Dolezal of the 27th, Hufstetler of the 52nd, Payne of the 54th and Gooch of the 51st A RESOLUTION Congratulating and commending Thomas "Tommy's" Barber Shop; and for other purposes. WHEREAS, in September 2025, Thomas "Tommy's" Barber Shop enjoyed the rare distinction of celebrating the 66th anniversary of its founding; and WHEREAS, founded in September 1959, in Buckhead, Georgia, by Gilmer "Tommy" Thomas Sr., this outstanding barbershop has grown from its humble beginnings to become a well-known staple in the Buckhead community; and WHEREAS, this remarkable small business has served numerous senators, congressmen, state legislators, governors, mayors, executives, captains of industry, and professional athletes, including Coca-Cola Company Chairman Robert Woodruff, Governor Brian Kemp, Senator Johnny Isakson, Governor Joe Frank Harris, Governor Nathan Deal, Coach Vince Dooley, and Sports Reporter Furman Bisher, as well as many local residents; and WHEREAS, Thomas "Tommy's" Barber Shop started collecting commemorative Coca-Cola bottles in 1977 and is currently the only business in the world that Coca-Cola has produced four commemorative bottles recognizing their 40th, 50th, 60th, and 65th year in business; and WHEREAS, the barbers of Thomas "Tommy's" Barber Shop support their community by unselfishly devoting innumerable hours of their time and talents to the area; and WHEREAS, it is abundantly fitting and proper that the outstanding accomplishments of this extraordinary barbershop be appropriately recognized. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that the members of this body congratulate Thomas "Tommy's" Barber Shop upon the grand occasion of its 66th anniversary; commend it for its many years of successful operation; and extend best wishes for its continued growth, development, and success. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Senate is authorized and directed to make an appropriate copy of this resolution available for distribution to Thomas "Tommy's" Barber Shop. ## Summaries written by Georgia Commons The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the resolution. Quote the text, not the summary. A Georgia Senate resolution congratulates Thomas "Tommy's" Barber Shop in Buckhead on its 66th anniversary and commends its decades of business in the community. ### Plain-language summary This is a ceremonial resolution from the Georgia Senate, not a change to state law. It recognizes Thomas "Tommy's" Barber Shop, founded in September 1959 in Buckhead by Gilmer "Tommy" Thomas Sr., for reaching its 66th anniversary in September 2025. The resolution recounts the shop's history, including its list of notable customers and its tradition of collecting commemorative Coca-Cola bottles marking milestone anniversaries. The Senate formally congratulates the shop, commends its years of operation, and wishes it continued success. It directs the Secretary of the Senate to prepare a copy of the resolution for distribution to the barbershop. ### What it does - Formally congratulates Thomas "Tommy's" Barber Shop on its 66th anniversary of operation in Buckhead, Georgia. - Commends the barbershop for its history of service to the community and its many notable customers. - Directs the Secretary of the Senate to prepare and distribute a copy of the resolution to the barbershop. - Creates no new law, funding, or regulatory requirement; it is a symbolic honor only. ### Who it affects This resolution directly names Thomas "Tommy's" Barber Shop and its owners and barbers in Buckhead, Georgia. It has no effect on other businesses, residents, or state agencies beyond the ceremonial recognition. ### Why it matters The resolution carries no legal or financial consequence for Georgians; it is a formal, public acknowledgment by the state Senate of a long-running local business. Its main effect is symbolic, giving the barbershop an official record of recognition from the legislature. ### Key provisions - The resolution's whereas clauses describe the barbershop's founding in September 1959 and its 66th anniversary in September 2025. - It notes the shop has served notable figures including governors, a U.S. senator, and professional sports figures. - It mentions Coca-Cola produced four commemorative bottles for the shop's 40th, 50th, 60th, and 65th anniversaries. - The resolved clause has the Senate congratulate and commend the shop and wish it continued success. - A further resolved clause directs the Secretary of the Senate to provide a copy of the resolution to the shop. ## Status - Status: Passed (2026-03-19) - Last action: Senate Read and Adopted (2026-03-19) - Sponsors: Bill Cowsert, Greg Dolezal, Chuck Hufstetler, Chuck Payne, Steve Gooch - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/74201 > The history, votes, and amendments (94 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr985.md?full=1