Saturday, August 13th 2011
Ray Mazzini is a family barber who comes from a
family of barbers. The 54-year-old from Washington Heights learned to
cut hair from his brother and father, who used to run Frank's Barbershop
down the block on Broadway and 204th St. After learning the tricks of
the trade, Mazzini opened up his own three-chair shop in 2000.
Ray's Barbershop, which charges $14 for a haircut
and $10 for a shave, is as old-fashioned as the barber pole that rests
in the store window. Mazzini says he knows 99% of the patrons who walk
through the door. The only ones he doesn't know are the children who
come for their first haircut.
"I used to cut a lot of hair for seniors, but now I
get a lot of kids," he says while displaying a stack of "first haircut
certificates" he hands out to youngsters. "I've got the patience to put
up with the screaming, and the kids love me because of my bucket of
candy."
But Mazzini's older customers love the
neighborhood barber for more than just his candy. They love his steady
hand, his friendly banter and the obvious joy he receives from cutting
hair. Mazzini returns this love and dedication to his clients by making
local house calls. The only thing sharper than Mazzini's scissors is his
wit.
"I've cut the hair of a 7-day-old baby and a
103-year-old man," he says. "It is my policy that every 100 years you
get a free haircut."
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