A Century of Style

Real barber chairs. Touch-ups done with hot lather and a straight razor. And all the local scuttlebutt you could ask for.

Hair salons and beauty parlors have their adherents, but for many there's nothing quite like the no-nonsense approach of a classic barbershop. And at 100-years-old they don't get much more classic than Leon's Fantasy Cut in Newkirk Plaza.

Since first opening its doors in March of 1912 (the exact day is lost to antiquity) neighbors have been filing in for a trim. And while the name, ownership, and hairstyles have changed since the turn of the last century, two thing have remained consistent — commitment to the neighborhood, and skill with scissors.

On a recent Spring recent afternooon, as current owner Leon Kogut worked on a customer's hair, previous manager John Messina talked about when price wars in their field were ... a little different.

"I remember very well there was a shop (that) used to charge, between 1969 and 1960, they used to charge 60 cents per haircut," said Messina. "And across the street there was a shop where they used to charge 75 cents per haircut."

"And they had a sign on the window that said, '75 Cent Haircut — We Can Repair 60 Cent Haircuts.'"

"Over here, at 'Paul's Barbershop,' we used to charge $1.50. Double. And we were busy and worked with four barbers. Even though we had a lot of competition, the 60 cents, the 70 cents, 75 cents, $1.00, whatever. But over here was $1.50."

"That's why I said this was the best barbershop in Brooklyn. Not in the area. In Brooklyn."

Messina started working at what was then "Paul's Barbershop" in 1959, and took over the operation in 1967.

"In 1967 I purchased it and it became 'John Messina Barbershop.' In 1972 ... it became 'John Messina Hairstyle.'"

"In 1991 I sold the shop to this gentleman here, Leon Kogut," Messina said.

"But after my retirement I was still working here in the shop part-time, until five years ago. Then I decided I'd had enough, now I can retire.

Since becoming 'Leon's Fantasy Cut' under Kogut, the shop and Newkirk Plaza has seen some ups and downs.

"Let's start from the beginning," Kogut said, already working on another customer, "When I took over the shop, the shop was very, very busy. We had a lot, a lot of customers. Four people were working here. But unfortunately because of the economy and everything, and plus the construction was here in the plaza for three and a half years, it ruined our businesses here in the plaza. So now we're just trying to recover again."

"But it's going to take a couple years, I hope no more than that. To bring Newkirk Plaza back to how it used to be."

But now Kogut is looking forward to the completion of work in the plaza, and shortly after that a celebration of the shop's 100 year anniversary.

"On May 5th we're going to plant the trees and the flowers. A big day here in the plaza. And then May 19th we're going to have a celebration here (for the Plaza)."

And what better way to celebrate than a fresh haircut?