Alek Kalantarov surveyed towns and stores, hoping to locate the perfect spot for his barbershop.
After a long search, on June 28 Kalantarov opened Alek’s Barbershop at 167 Main Street in Port Washington.
“I searched for a new spot for a while,” said Kalantarov. “When I finally found this one, I liked the small space and thought the location was good.”
Kalantarov is originally from the Soviet Union and later moved to Israel before coming to the United States 10 years ago. He worked as a tailor in Manhattan for three years before becoming a barber. He has been a barber for six years.
Kalantarov said his two-chair barbershop separates itself from others in the area because it pays close attention to detail and customer satisfaction. He said that interaction between the barber and the person in the chair is very important and that there are many things to consider while cutting someone’s hair.
“I want to satisfy the customer and give them what they want,” said Kalantarov. “I want the customer’s time in my chair to be a comfortable one.’’
Often, Kalantarov’s wife will come in and work with him, too.
The barbershop offers a wide range of services, including hair dyeing, eyebrow treatment and different styling.
Kalantarov’s career switch was tough, he said, but he said that he enjoys cutting hair and wants to continue to do so for a long time.
“Once you’re in the business, you have to like,” said Kalantarov, “and I like it.”
