2008 Woodie Awards
Astor Place Hairstylists
Uptown Girl
Suzy Kenly
Issue date: 9/22/04 Section: Features
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Like most establishments in Manhattan, Astor Place Hairstylist, Inc certainly does not appear to be very noteworthy from the outside. Crammed in between a Cold Stone Creamery and a Barnes & Noble, many pedestrians would walk by without a second look, except perhaps to note the sign that points to the entrance in the basement.
However, like most establishments in Manhattan, once a person walks through the doors, they enter a completely different world. With over 80 stylists working on three floors, Astor Hair is almost busier than Times Square on New Year's Eve.
This "typical" New York business has the diversity that only comes from the Big Apple, with almost 20 languages spoken by the stylists and barbers. Their motto? "We speak Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Hebrew, Romanian, Greek, Chinese, Japanese, French, Russian, and a little English."
One customer, a businessman getting a conservative cut, is being tended to by Ben, one of the three stylists at Astor who can etch (any shape shaved into a person's hair). At his station, there are dozens of pictures of some of the past etchings he's done, including a detailed skull and cross bones, sports logos, and an American flag, with all 50 stars.
"We've got three barbers who do the most complex etching you've ever seen," said John Vezza, one of the managers at Astor Hair. "He did the first etching I had ever seen back in 1984. I had no idea he could do it. It's amazing." He paused to think about all of the various etchings he's seen over the years. "Guys shave half their heads, we've done leopard spot coloring all over their head. Very zany." Zany haircuts for a zany city.
Another customer is getting her hair cut at Josephine's station. Josephine has pictures plastered all over her station of her children, her wedding, and some cut outs from magazines that show celebrities' hairstyles.
"You have such beautiful curly hair," Josephine tells her customer as she snips. "Very lucky."
However, like most establishments in Manhattan, once a person walks through the doors, they enter a completely different world. With over 80 stylists working on three floors, Astor Hair is almost busier than Times Square on New Year's Eve.
This "typical" New York business has the diversity that only comes from the Big Apple, with almost 20 languages spoken by the stylists and barbers. Their motto? "We speak Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Hebrew, Romanian, Greek, Chinese, Japanese, French, Russian, and a little English."
One customer, a businessman getting a conservative cut, is being tended to by Ben, one of the three stylists at Astor who can etch (any shape shaved into a person's hair). At his station, there are dozens of pictures of some of the past etchings he's done, including a detailed skull and cross bones, sports logos, and an American flag, with all 50 stars.
"We've got three barbers who do the most complex etching you've ever seen," said John Vezza, one of the managers at Astor Hair. "He did the first etching I had ever seen back in 1984. I had no idea he could do it. It's amazing." He paused to think about all of the various etchings he's seen over the years. "Guys shave half their heads, we've done leopard spot coloring all over their head. Very zany." Zany haircuts for a zany city.
Another customer is getting her hair cut at Josephine's station. Josephine has pictures plastered all over her station of her children, her wedding, and some cut outs from magazines that show celebrities' hairstyles.
"You have such beautiful curly hair," Josephine tells her customer as she snips. "Very lucky."