Beloved Hoboken Barber Hangs Up His Scissors After 59 Years

HOBOKEN, NJ — Another longtime Hoboken business, Gino's Barber Shop on First Street, has closed.

Beneath the giant shade trees of First Street — where small mom-and-pop shops sell their wares among newer enterprises — a sign in the window said "GINO'S CLOSED, Nick has retired. Thank you everybody."

The small shop, which displays a traditional barber pole, previously had a sign saying it was closed Mondays, Wednesdays, and Sundays.

On the web, it says it's open by appointment only but is listed as "Temporarily closed."

A phone number for the shop now leads to an error message.

Fans on Yelp, including several from outside the area, said they were amazed by the quality of the haircut and the "old school" feel of the shop.

"I have literally, since birth, only had my haircut by Nick at Gino's," said a customer from Pennsylvania. "As you enter into the old school shop, you get the feeling that you are really about to experience something special. Sit in the antique chairs, and enjoy the sensation of a master at work."

"I'm new to the area so I checked out yelp and gave this place a try," wrote one man. "It
is old school and Nick exemplifies what a business owner should be."

"His attention to detail is beyond any barber shop I have EVER been to in 29 years," wrote a Massachusetts man. "I would recommend Gino's to any man that wants a proper haircut and
shave."

Fifty-Nine Years In Business

A Patch story from 2011 quoted owner Nick Leone talking about how decades ago, First Street, rather than Washington Street, was the commercial center of Hoboken. "In the '50s, there were stores almost as far down as you could walk," Leone said. "We had stores that sold macaroni, just macaroni."

An online profile says that Leone has worked at the shop since August of 1962. He graduated from Hoboken High School in 1963 (after starting in 1959 — what a time for hair!) and attended Fairleigh Dickinson University from 1963-1969.

Old-School Barbers Still Around

First Street still has some old-school stores, as well as newer shops like the Guitar Bar (owned by musician James Mastro), a new dance studio, and several sandwich shops.

Those who will miss the old-school feel of Gino's need not despair completely. There are still several longtime barber shops around, including D&V's on Washington Street, Hair I Am on Fifth Street, Mr. L's on Park Avenue, and the quaint First Street Barber Shop — which once looked like this.

What's your favorite "old school" Hoboken business? Comment below!

Want updates on breaking news when it happens? You can sign up for occasional breaking news alerts in Hoboken, or for a daily newsletter at 6 a.m. each morning with local news. Don't miss the stories your neighbors are talking about! Sign up with your preferences here.

Got news? Email [email protected]. Got photos? Please include express written permission from the photographer for us to use them. To be the first to get free news alerts with breaking stories in your town, or to get a free local newsletter each morning, sign up for Patch breaking news alerts or daily newsletters.