My name is Landon Brown, and I'm here to tell you the adventure of my distinguished beard.

According to urban legend, my luscious beard was visible on an early ultrasound…

Mankato has always been my home and it is where I met my beautiful fiancée, Maria Person. She has always been attracted to my defined jawline and smooth skin. After all these years, Maria continues to flatter me with remarks like, “shave that ridiculously long beard” and “I like you better clean shaven.” I always appreciate her special boost of confidence.

I’ve been working for Mankato Independent Originals since I was 18 and I am currently the General Manager at 3rd Street Tavern. The people I’ve met throughout my time serving, bartending, and managing have helped me find the strength to maintain this esteemed beard. Again and again they would say, “just shave it, come on everyone is doing it.” But I didn’t shave! Instead, I kept it growing and I felt so proud of the thick coat I was forming on my face. For as long as I can remember, waking up with beard in my mouth was a fact of life. Taking a bite out of my beard while innocently enjoying a meal just became the norm. I was determined to incorporate this beard into my persona. After facing so much adversity, I emerged with a beard that not only defined who I was, but kept me whole as a man.

It’s been years since I shaved clean. When I was approached by the Grow MANkato to shave my precious beard, to benefit the JZ Cancer Fund, it didn’t take any convincing. Fighting to keep my beard pristine seemed like quite the task, but it’s no match for what Jonathan Zierdt and so many other cancer survivors battle every single day.

Please help raise awareness for men’s health and donate to the Landon Brown celebrity shave down!

Mankato Area Foundation

Fundraising Campaigns

Giving Looks Good on Us

Celebrity Shave Down - Dr. Chaun Cox

Celebrity Shave Down - Dain Fisher

Celebrity Shave Down - Landon Brown