The Beard Barons create a growing community for facial hair enthusiasts here in the Queen City

Thirty years ago, one of the greatest mustaches in the world was born. Back then, Phil Jones was a doorman the Omni Netherland Plaza hotel, known today as the Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza. Jones said he was inspired to start growing a mustache because it seemed to complement the old-world charm of his doorman uniform. The general manager of the hotel took note of Jones' mustache and suggested that he start shaping it with wax. Jones took his manager's advice and soon the meticulously curled mustache started to get quite a reputation at the hotel. "When I was at the hotel the comment cards would come back, 'the guy with the mustache,' 'the dude with the handlebars,' " said Jones. His mustache even got a royal commendation. "I had the privilege of being the personal doorman to Prince Charles," said Jones. "And when Prince Charles says, 'You have a wonderful mustache,' you tell the rest of the world you're not shaving ever again." Jones has been sporting a magnificent mustache ever since. Jones, aka "Taxi Phil," has taken his famous mustache even further as the president of the Beard Barons, a facial hair enthusiast club based here in Cincinnati. The Beard Barons began in 2012 after four of the future members met at a beard competition in Columbus. There were eight people at the first meeting; now, the society counts 55 members.