I got a haircut from the elite New York City barber who cuts Jack Dorsey's hair - and it was incredible
I got a haircut from the elite New York City barber who cuts Jack Dorsey's hair - and it was incredible
I got a haircut from the elite New York City barber who cuts Jack Dorsey's hair - and it was incredible
At the time, all Geno had was a client list, a lease, and a dream. A New York Times mention soon followed, and Geno was forced to add a fourth chair. The rest, as is so commonly said, is history.
Geno says he has a two-week backlog of appointments, which can sometimes affect his business.
"Guys don't want to wait," he told us.
Oftentimes, guys will book their next appointment immediately after getting their hair cut, as if it were a doctor's office. Geno now employs four other barbers at his shop, but the man himself is still the one in the highest demand.
"I think I cut everybody," Geno says before rattling off a long list of Broadway actors, photographers, musicians, sportsmen, magazine editors, and stylists. Geno says he cuts the hair of legendary stylist Nick Wooster, former Rangers left wing Sean Avery, and even actor Daniel Day-Lewis.
I got a haircut from the elite New York City barber who cuts Jack Dorsey's hair - and it was incredible
But Geno will make exceptions for some of his most loyal and dedicated — not to mention famous — clients. He often opens the shop early for Jack Dorsey, CEO of Twitter and Square, so he can squeeze him in before his other appointments.
And boast Geno should. Geno's shop's reputation is built entirely by referral and word-of-mouth. Dorsey frequently plugs Geno's shop on his social media accounts, which Geno says he has nothing to do with.
"Jack does it himself, believe it or not," Geno told us. "I don't even have a website."
As for next steps, Geno says he used to want to stay small, avoiding the complications of expanding.
"That was before," Geno told us. "Now I have three kids."
Now he's considering launching a line of hair products, and even expanding to a newer, bigger shop when his lease is up.
I needed to see Geno in action. Even though it was his day off, Geno sat me down in the chair.
Geno's barber's station is in the front of the shop, near a window that lets in plenty of light.
Geno's station is fully stocked with hair-cutting tools.
Before he started cutting my hair, Geno commented on how thick it is — a comment I'm used to receiving from barbers.
Geno asked me what I wanted, and I told him to do whatever he thought would look best. I wanted to see his expertise in action.
He told me he was going to give me a look he called "the new classic."
It's a neat, clean-cut style that leaves enough length to be styled on the top without a severe part.
Geno said it would be the perfect cut for the holiday season, as it will still look great even when given some time to grow out. I needed it to still be in good shape by Christmas and New Year's.
As Geno cut my hair, I noted his precision — clearly a cut above other barbers.
Geno told me that he needed to use a special fading technique on my hair because it was so thick. He cut a gradual fade, and told me that if he didn't, it would have the dreaded mushroom look when it grew out.
I admired Geno's astounding knowledge of the art and was thankful for how his knowledge materialized in a fantastic haircut.
As he cut my hair, Geno regaled me with a story of his youth in Montenegro. As a young child, he was always drawn to barbering tools and would play with them in lieu of toys. He eventually grew into them and learned how to use them at an early age. He still has the same set, though he's upgraded to modern tools these days.
Geno used a straight-edged razor to trim the nape of my neck — a technique I've had done at other barbershops as well.
As Geno held the mirror to my neck, you could see the approval on my face. This was one of the best haircuts I've ever had. Geno evaluated my hair and knew exactly what to do to give me the best haircut for my hair type and face shape — the mark of a true professional.
$40 for a haircut is fair, but $40 for a haircut and benefiting from Geno's benevolent wisdom and positive good nature? You can't put a price on that.
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