Portrait of a Barber, in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn

Photo by myself around 50th Street and Fifth Avenue, in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn.

Mark and I drove through Bay Ridge the other day, and a storefront with distinctive lettering caught my eye. I had to take a photo.

Along a strip of eateries and bodegas stood a barber shop from another era. There were the remnants of a tattered awning, rusted roll down doors and a motley assortment in the window - an overgrown plant, an American flag, a couple model ships.

Inside, I was greeted by Tony, the proprietor. Tony told me that he opened his shop fifty years ago. At first I had trouble understanding him and thought he'd said fifteen. No, fifty of course. And the place has remained unchanged.

Haircuts and a shave are ten bucks apiece. Tony soon had a customer. I took my leave, not wanting to distract him. I left, walking on air.


I was so excited by original furnishings and wooden cash register, that I forgot to get out of the photo. Behind me, Tony takes a phone call.


Tony greets his customer with a little kidding around.


Everything gets serious as the master begins work.

The Portrait Series is a once-in-a-while installment, featuring New Yorkers encountered on the street.

Related posts: Portrait of an Entrepreneur, on the Upper East Side, Portrait of a Bike Messenger, in Midtown, and Portrait of a Film Shoot, in Brooklyn Heights.