Sports Talk and Problem Solving at Gary's Barber Shop

“He said Wheeler pitched good?” the customer sitting in the chair with the robe around his neck said.

“Lackey gave up a run in the first,” somebody chimed in.

“Crisp got a single over the short stop’s head. He’s fast as hell,” said the customer, trying not to turn his head as Gary Constantino trimmed the hair above his ears.

Constantino owns Gary’s Barber Salon on Fall River Avenue. As is typical in places where men gather, the conversation is often dominated by sports. In fact, so is the décor, from the Red Sox paraphernalia to an autographed photo of famed local boxer Marvelous Marvin Hagler, who Constantino admired for his rigorous training and excellent physical condition.

Twenty-five years ago, influenced by time spent hanging out in his uncle’s barber shop as a kid, Constantino attended Broms Barber School in Worcester. Shortly thereafter he opened Gary’s, first in Rumford then seven years later in Seekonk.

His son Evan joined the business six years ago and he, too, is a lover of sports and sports memorabilia. He regularly visits Spring training sessions and sporting events to collect autographs, which he subsequently sells on eBay. Evan’s older brother also sells sports memorabilia, making the case for genetic predisposition to collectibles. 

With their clippers and scissors Gary and Evan give dozens of haircuts a day. On a busy day Constantino alone can cut the hairs on 50 heads. Fortunately for him, he absolutely loves his job.

“I just love making people look good,” he says. “If I hit the lottery, I’d still work.”

His customers range in age from 1 to 100, and he often sees whole generations of family members. He says Gary’s hasn’t been affected by the recession since “haircuts are a necessity." While that might be true enough, perhaps the camaraderie and friendliness has something to do with it as well.

“We have interesting conversations here. We try to solve the world’s problems,” Constantino jokes.

“We probably do a better job of it too,” a waiting customer quips. 

Gary's Barber Salon, located at 650 Fall River Avenue, is open six days a week. Haircuts are $11 for seniors and $14 for everybody else.