Story of Ciro Marino
In a time where Italian barbers are losing business, Ciro’s Nice Italian Barber Shop in Selden has been drawing community attention with the shop’s authentic Italian theme. The shop is owned and founded by Ciro Marino, an Italian barber who has been in the business for over 30 years.
The 55-year-old Marino, who is known as Ciro the Barber, began his career in barber business in Naples, Italy when he was 9-years old. He had cut hair for his family business and left Italy at the age of 14 because his father wanted to expand the barber business here in the United States.
“I was pushed from my father to learn the barber business from my grandfather. And I had no choice,” Marino said. “Back then, there were no barber schools. So every day I used to go to grandfather’s shop and learn slowly. And I came out good.”
Growing up Ciro had no choice but to follow his fathers’ footsteps and get in to the barber business. While learning from his grandfather, he said there was no room for error.
“I took a lot of beatings and slaps from my grandfather when I wasn’t focusing on the business. So I learned the hard way,” Marino said.
However, according to Marino, these beatings worked on his favor later in his life.
“When I became a teenager, I realized these were very valuable situations I was in,” Marino said.
In 1972, Marino took what he learned to the United States, where he hoped to work at local barber shops. His plans hit a roadblock when he learned he lacked working papers, nor was he the legal working age of 16. So he decided to go to barber school in Brooklyn for two years.
Walk into Ciro’s Nice Italian Barber shop on any given day and one can hear the sound of shears, blow dryers, running water and a lot of small talks and jokes– laced with an Italian accent. It’s like a home away from home for many Italian Americans.
“Being an Italian and having this place to meet other people, it blends together,” said long time customer and a friend of Ciro, Frank Saporito. “Everybody here makes you feel comfortable. That’s the major thing. When you can feel comfortable going somewhere to get hair cut, its keeps you want to come back and that’s why I am here.”
Saporito has been a customer in Ciro’s Nice Italian Barber Shop for nine years now. They met each other through this shop and became friends after ever since.
“Through coming here and getting a shave and haircut, we became very good friends,” Saporito said. “We talk after work, we talk before work. And we talk during work. And it always comes out the same way, so it’s a beautiful thing.”
Marino also described that the Italian barbers are fading away from the business. He also mentioned that most of the barber shops were originally Italian in the last 150 years.
“I’m the last of the breed because everybody is either dead or going to different business and no more Italian people going in to barber businesses anymore,” Marino said. “Everything is changing. I’m the last of the old guys; Old guys that are dying.”
Despite the heavy Italian atmosphere, Marino’s shop has attracted long time, no Italian customers.
Shiraz Zaidi, a regular customer said the shop has a “friendly” environment. “They actually call me for a Christmas party and other stuff. It’s very family oriented barber shop.”
Zaidi also talks about Marino’s energetic presence in the shop. “Any time I walk in, he gives me a big hug and offers me a coffee,” Zaidi said. “He is a genuine person.”
With the wooden floor, brick walls, leather adult barber chairs, photos of famous people, and old photos of Marino with his past clients lining the walls and shelves, the shop has a traditional aura that brings clients back in time to barber shops of the past, while simultaneously giving them the comfort of modern amenities. The unique aura is completed by the Italian flag, world map and the movie poster for “The Godfather.”
Aside from the focus on the traditional aspect of the place, the service is also as personalized as it is personable. Marino said he likes to play Frank Sinatra and other old music, so his customers get to have a relaxing moment.
“A lot of them don’t even need a shave, they just come here to listen to soothing music,” Marino said. “That’s the whole idea, to make the customers feel comfortable. That’s the trick. That’s what I learned from my grandfather.”
Aside from the business Marino is also a family man who has three children. One of them is 21 years old who already has his own business in Hampton Bays. He also has 17-year old twin boys who are finishing their senior years in high school right now. Marino said after his retirement he wants his kids to take over the business and continue the family tradition.
“I’m waiting for them to finish their senior years, and I’m going to send them to barber schools and they will have to come here and learn from me and all my friends here,” he said. “Hopefully they will take over. That’s the plan.”
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