Barber of King Street back in business
DAVE JOHNSON
The Barber of King Street is back.
Four and a half years after he stepped away from his shop, Emidio Ioannoni is ready to get back to work.
“I had to take care of my mother,” says Ioannoni as to why he closed down Crowland Hairstyling.
He’s now working at Lil’s Hair Salon.
Ioannoni, who learned how to be a barber from his father Vincent, hopes his old customers will return and looks forward to new customers coming through the doors at 645 King St. Lil’s is located where Crowland Hairstyling was and he says the old-fashioned barber’s pole is still out front.
Crowland Hairstyling was started by his father and had operated for 55 years before it was shut down. Ioannoni says he carried on cutting hair from his mother’s home.
“Some customers still came, but the house was off the beaten path and some felt they were intruding by coming to the home.”
As he gets back into the swing of things, Ioannoni says true oldfashioned barbering seems to be a dying trade.
“I know how to hone and sharpen a straight razor on a strap, use the old-style clippers … things are more modernized now. My father taught me the true art of barbering.”
While he gets back to trimming hair, Ioannoni is hoping he can convince city hall to trim the parking meters at his end of King Street. He wants to see free parking, like there is in the downtown core, and says it could help bring more people down to the area.
Ioannoni says people should see him working 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Customers, new and old, are welcome to drop in or call and set up an appointment with him at 905735-4247.