Emilio Larrosa of Vincent’s Barber Shop Honored for Community Impact
By Danielle Wiseman, Staten Island Chamber of Commerce
Emilio Larrosa, Owner of Vincent’s Barber Shop, paved his own way to success, commandeering every opportunity at his disposal to shape his family’s lives and bring joy to his community.
Originally from Uruguay, Larrosa immigrated to the United States in the early 2000s in search of the American Dream and a better future for his family. Growing up in Uruguay, Larrosa held various odd jobs, ranging from a train mechanic to a licensed film operator at movie theaters to a short stint as a local police officer, before finding his true passion of hairdressing.
In his early 20s, while still in Uruguay, Larrosa attended barber school, and shortly after, he started his first job as a barber. By 31, Larrosa was the manager of a barber shop that specialized in children’s haircuts. While managing the shop, Larrosa also performed house calls for customers that were unable to come into the barber shop.
“I visited many homes and hospitals, most times via public transport, and although the hours were very long, it gave me a sense of gratitude,” reminisces Larrosa. “At that point, I was juggling work and raising a family. My wife and I had two little kids, and they gave me the push to keep going and strive for more. It was around then that I was reconnected with Vincent Rodio, the previous owner of Vincent’s Barber Shop, while he was vacationing in Uruguay.”
Rodio, originally from Italy, immigrated to Uruguay at a very young age, where he learned how to become a barber and opened his first namesake shop, Vincent’s Barber Shop. Upon moving to the United States in the 1980s and settling in Staten Island, Rodio was presented with the opportunity to purchase a barber shop from two local barbers looking to retire. The shop, located at 613 Bay Street, had been open since 1959 and was already a Stapleton anchor. Rodio seized the opportunity and renamed the store, establishing the legacy of Vincent’s Barber Shop on Staten Island.
As a child in Uruguay, Larrosa always went to Rodio’s first store, the original Vincent’s Barber Shop, to get his hair cut, and he had fond memories of Rodio and his shop. Around a decade later, while Larrosa was working at the children’s barber shop, Rodio stopped by the shop on a trip from the United States and offered Larrosa a position in his barber shop on Staten Island. While incredibly honored, Larrosa declined the offer, as he and his wife had just welcomed their first child. Many years later, when the economy in Uruguay began to weaken, Larrosa reconsidered Rodio’s proposal.
“A customer came in and mentioned that he was on his way to New York, and I decided to ask if he would drop a letter in the mail for me once he arrived. He said he would gladly do so, and I quickly wrote to Vincent to let him know about my interest in joining him,” says Larrosa. “I had written the wrong address for Vincent, and the letter was never meant to get there, but my customer decided to double check the address, corrected it, and got it to Vincent. Had he not double checked that, I probably would not be sitting here today. Vincent reached out, asked me to get my passport as soon as possible, and the rest is history.”
Larrosa happily accepted Rodio’s second offer of employment, and he and his family migrated to Staten Island. Climbing the ranks over the years and earning Rodio’s trust, Larrosa quickly made himself indispensable at the shop. When it was time for Rodio to retire, he went straight to Larrosa and asked him if he would consider buying Vincent’s Barber Shop, and Larrosa couldn’t refuse.
“I came to Vincent’s Barber Shop not knowing the language; I just had a dream of being able to create a good future for my family. As tough as it is to leave everything behind and start anew, it was the most rewarding challenge that I have ever faced. I am forever grateful to Vincent for giving me this opportunity, trusting me, and guiding me on the right path,” emphasizes Larrosa.
“This profession has opened many doors for me and allowed me to be where I am today. Thanks to barbering, I was able to achieve my American Dream, become a homeowner and business owner, and give my sons a good education,” says Larrosa. “Seeing them become successful professionals has been the one thing that I am most proud of, as it reminds me that my efforts paid off and I was able to serve as a role model for them.”
Vincent’s Barber Shop has been a Stapleton favorite since its inception, and its reputation only grew with Larrosa at the helm. Larrosa keeps his shop door open, welcoming friends, students, and community members to stop in at their leisure, always with a smile on his face. During his time on Staten Island, Larrosa has seen entire families and generations come through the store.
“I see new faces come in all the time, but there are also customers who still visit the barber shop just as they’ve been doing for decades, and they pass that loyalty on to their families,” says Larrosa. “I have customers that started with me over twenty years ago who came in as kids, and now they’re all grown and bringing in their own kids. That’s some of the growth that we, as barbers, love to see.”
Larrosa spends most of his time in Vincent’s Barber Shop, making his customers more like family than anything else. In his many roles over the years, Larrosa has also mentored young barbers, guiding them on the right path and helping to start their careers.
“Being a barber definitely allows you to create a special bond with your customers. Not a day goes by that I don’t find myself laughing with my customers as we talk, joke around, and have a good time while they’re getting their hair cut,” adds Larrosa. “A couple of years ago, I noticed skin irregularities in two separate customers while giving them haircuts. Because of my personal relationship with my customers, I felt comfortable voicing concerns and advised them to see a doctor. They came back a few weeks later thanking me because they both had cancer diagnoses.”
For his accomplishments, Emilio Larrosa is being honored with a Louis R. Miller Business Leadership Award, which he will receive in the Established Businessperson category. The awards, which are presented by the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce and the Staten Island Advance, honor the memory of Louis R. Miller, a businessman and West Brighton resident who was also a community leader.
“I was lucky enough to have a helping hand when I needed It, which allowed me to be where I am today,” emphasizes Larrosa. “So whenever I can extend myself to help someone in need, I do not think twice. And I think that is how business owners can make a change in the community. After all, helping one another is what makes our community as strong as it is.”
Current occupation and title: Barber and Owner of Vincent’s Barber Shop.
Hometown: Grant City.
Past occupations and titles: Licensed Film Operator, Police Officer, Train Mechanic.
Community involvement: Volunteered at institutions such as Staten Island University Hospital, Carmel Richmond Nursing Home, and Seaview Rehabilitation Center.
Some of my life goals include: Providing my kids with a good education and future, raising a good family, owning a home. All of them which I have accomplished with hard work.
The best part of my job: Building relationships with my customers is definitely the best part of the job. Over the years, there have been many people that have sat on my chair which I consider close friends. I have seen families grow, kids become adults, get married, and I have been lucky enough to see customers from 20+ years ago grow up, become parents, and now their kids come to see me.
The most difficult part of my job: I would say the long hours. For a long period of time, after I had migrated to the United States, my days were from 8 am to almost 8 pm, Monday through Sunday. At that time, it was what needed to be done to make sure we had a comfortable living and to grow my name as a barber.
My life philosophies: Always help someone when they are in need, hard work always pays off, and try not to take things too seriously and only worry about what you can control. The older I get, the last one seems to apply the most.
I am most proud of: Having achieved the American dream, seeing both of my kids be the first college graduates in my family, and seeing them settle into successful careers. My oldest has a Masters Degree and works for New York State, and my youngest went on to become a Veterinary Doctor
Something that no one knows about me: I used to play the guitar in a band when I was young.
The quality I like best about myself: I would say I am definitely a hard worker. This quality allowed me to focus on my dreams and not give up regardless of how hard things got. It is something I wanted my kids to take from me, to see that things do happen when you work hard and always put your best foot forward.
Personal interests and hobbies: I love gardening with my wife on my days off, I like watching soccer, I used to run and did 4 NYC marathons with my oldest son. (He is faster than me, but I definitely had more fun than he did).
I laugh at: My pets, we have two cats at home that never stop doing things worth a good laugh.
I am really good at: I would say cutting hair, after all I wouldn’t have lasted that long in this profession if I wasn’t.
I admire: My wife. Over the decades we have been together, I can say that the reason I am where I am is because of her. Her selfless and loving personality was always there to support me, to keep me fighting and to never give up. She built this family as I spent long hours at work, and she always greeted me with a smile. She is always looking out for me and the kids and never stops working to make sure that we always have what we need. I can say that I am very lucky to have such a strong woman next to me, and words cannot express how lucky I am as a man to have her by my side. She has been our rock through the most difficult of times.