Q: Please tell us a bit about yourself and your family.
I grew up in Philadelphia and moved to Holland when I started my career. I still have a good amount of family in both Philadelphia and Holland thankfully. I am married to my beautiful wife Diana who is a teacher at Abington Presbyterian. We have three children, two boys and a girl. My oldest son, Shane, is 23 and is in the carpenters union. My second son Luke is in his third year of college for sales. My daughter Victoria is 20 years old and plays tennis for Millersville University. I am very family oriented. I love to be with my wife and my kids.
Q: Please tell us about your current, past, or future career.
Right after high school I went to Joseph Donahue barber school in hairstyling. I won a haircutting contest in Harrisburg and was placed in a salon to complete my hours. I was introduced to Jim Martino and we joined forces to start Holland Barber Shop. We opened the shop in 1994, 30 years ago now. Unfortunately, Jim passed away in 2015. The Martino family still owns Holland Barber Shop, but I took over running the business. When I took over the operations the community really embraced both me and the shop. I am so grateful for their endless support. We are blessed with a lot of regulars. In fact, we have a lot of customers who have been with us for all 30 years.
When it comes down to it, I am a worker. I love where I am in life. The barber shop is such a special place to me because of our community. They make it more of a social club than anything. It is where my people are and where I truly love to be. To me, Holland Barber Shop is not a job, it is my lifeline.
Q: What do you love most about what you do?
I really enjoy being involved in the community and neighborhood. I love the art of cutting hair and making people look better.
Q: What are some of your favorite things about our community?
I really enjoy the parks and the small town feel of our area. Everyone really knows each other here and it makes this place so unique. People really care about each other here and genuinely want to know how people are doing. My family really enjoys going out to eat and supporting our local businesses. A couple of our favorites are Oishi and Aldo’s. We also really enjoy the movie theater in Huntingdon Valley: Penn Cinema.
Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where would it be and why?
Portugal, My wife and her family are from there, and it is simply beautiful. We have a house in Portugal, so we get to spend a good amount of time there. I love the culture there and really European culture in general.
Q: What is one of your favorite movies? TV shows?
All in the family
Q: What advice would you give to people?
Enjoy what you have and focus on what you have rather than what you don’t have.
Q: What is something on your bucket list?
I love to travel, and I would love to see more of the world! If there is one place specifically, I would love to see Alaska.
Q: What is your favorite band or music genre?
Guns n Roses
Q: If you could choose anyone that is alive today and not a relative; with whom would you love to have lunch? Why? And where locally would y’all meet for this lunch?
I would have lunch with Bill Gates, just to pick his financial mind. We would probably go to Oishi.
Q: Where do you see yourself in 5 to 10 years?
In my little barber shop in Holland making more interesting friends. There is nowhere else I would rather be.
Q: What is something interesting that even your friends or family may not know about you?
That is a good question. Being in the barber business we are pretty much open books.
Q: What is your favorite holiday and why?
Thanksgiving. I love the food, but mostly I love that it is a time for family. There is no emphasis on gifts, just being together.
Q: Who inspires you to be better?
My kids
Q: What is one or two of your favorite smells?
Turkey cooking and leaves burning
Q: What words or phrases come to mind when you think of the word HOME?
Comfort, Love, Safety
Q: Where can people find you or your business?
- https://www.facebook.com/HollandBarberShop
- 295 Buck Rd Suite 306, Southampton, PA, United States, Pennsylvania
- (215) 355-5438
Great barber and member of the community. Working on the finance side of things it helps to have someone with 30+ years running operations and dealing with the local customers.