©2017 Saratoga Photographer.com
By Jennifer Farnsworth
For over 10 years, Vinny Frederico and his staff have been serving many loyal patrons from Saratoga County at Vinny’s Barber Shop in Malta.
Spinning off of that success, Frederico opened a second Vinny’s Barber Shop location at 57 Railroad Place in Saratoga Springs last month. He said the decision was one that was a long time coming.
“For a very long time I thought about opening up a downtown Saratoga location. With the business district, college, and track season, that area needs a barber shop,” said Frederico.
He said even though the Railroad Street location is not far from Malta, he felt bad for his Saratoga customers who had to get on the Northway and drive for a haircut.
Business at the new location has been very steady and he feels good about the decision to expand.
“The new spot is within walking distance to a lot of things in Saratoga. So far, the response has been great, with Malta still steady,” Frederico said.
He said he spends time in both shops. He has a total of 10 barbers working between the two locations. There are between two and three employees in Saratoga, with the rest in Malta.
The barber business can be said to be a family affair for Frederico. Vinny’s Barber Shop first opened in 2002 in Albany. In 2005, Vinny’s opened a Malta location, and Frederico’s brother, Joey, still runs the Albany location. Vinny’s customers range in age from infants to retirees. Patrons over 21 can enjoy a complimentary beer while watching sports on television.
Barber “Razor Ron,” LaFalce who works in the Malta shop said Frederico’s good fortune is the direct result of his dedication to his employees and customers.
“He is one of those people who is so good that good things follow him. He is such a good quality person who understands people and knows how to treat them. He works very hard,” said LaFalce.
For more information on prices, hours, and locations, visit vinnysbarbershopny.com,or call the Saratoga shop at 306-5299.