And he has mastered the art of getting the picture close to perfect.

Salzano has owned the Mariemont Barber Shop, located at 6880 Wooster Pike, since 1980.

Understanding the nostalgic milieu of the American “barbershop” has been on a decline, particularly with the intervention and widespread acceptance of the beauty salon - not just by women but by men also - Salzano has catered to the changing of the times while maintaining the old-fashioned integrity of the trade.

“Men come in here and feel relaxed. A lot of men don’t go to salons because they feel intimidated,” he says.

The village locale is a full-service barbershop, not only offering hair cuts but also shaves, facials, good conversation, sports TV for the fan and cartoons for the child.

Salzano graduated high school in 1966 and he harbored absolutely no notion of cutting hair for a living. He and three buddies had decided they were going to join the navy.

His brother was a barber, though, and introduced Salzano to a teacher at Cincinnati Barber College.

“My brother talked me into talking to Mr. Green (the teacher) because more importantly I needed to get a job,” he said.

The two went out to lunch and discussed the possibilities of enrolling in school and learning the trade.

“I was not sure about going to barber school, but he told me I would be my own boss, be independent and make a lot of money,” he said. “Well, that sounded good to me.”

Since then Salzano has seen a multitudinous of hair styles come and go - and many come back into style - over the years.

He says the village has also undergone much change, too.

“When I first started working here, I would flip the closing sign, lock the door and there would be nothing to do. Now, the village has a lot of energy, a lot of vitality."

Besides being seen cutting hair in his barbershop, Salzano can also be seen in many a family’s photo album and home movies.

“Yeah, I have been in a lot of photographs, a lot of movies. Parents like to shoot photos or film their child getting their first haircut.

“We like to do first-time haircuts for people’s children,” he says, “and we are pretty good.

“We have a way of making fans out of the kids. We kind of become like their grandpa or uncle,” he laughs.

Alongside Salzano is Brian Peters, who has worked at the shop for eight years.

The most bizarre haircut Salzano has given was to a young woman who had long blond hair. She requested he shave half her head, leaving the hair on the other half of her head at length.

“The youngest person I have ever given a haircut was three-week old baby” he says.

Haircuts and shaves cost $13.50 each. There is the “businessman’s special”, which includes a wash, haircut and scalp massage for $16. The cleansing facial package is also $13.50.

To make an appointment, call 271-7676.