Mike Pompa the owner of Subway barbershop is a nice guy, but Giuseppe and his sons tried many times to get Mike to let them be partners so that the tradition of Subway and their livelihoods could continue.
But Mike would never agree to anything or even listen to them. If the tradition of Subway Barbers is destroyed -- that is the fault of Mike Pompa....not the Giuseppe Merolla's family.
Rivalry slices Avenue
"I'm afraid of nothing," said Mike Pompa.
"There are no plans right now to close, so it's business as usual," said Rossana Colangelo.
Story:
Like the players in an Old World opera, rival hair-cutting businesses on Greenwich Avenue are competing for the title of the barber of Greenwich.
Despite rumors of its demise, Subway Barber is open for business at 315 Greenwich Ave. but is facing new competition from an unlikely rival. Giuseppe Merolla, 64, and his three sons, longtime employees of the downtown hair-cutting institution, recently left to start their own business down the street.
Offering customers espresso in a modern setting with flat-screen televisions and marble countertops, Classic Barber burst onto the scene this month at 396 Greenwich Ave.
"We made this barbershop retro but modern in its ways," said Giuseppe Merolla Jr., 24, the youngest of the three sons.
Located upstairs from the women's clothing store Theory, the new barbershop charges $20 for a haircut, the same as its rival up the street. It already has a following of transplants from Subway.
"It's a great place. They're good guys," said Michael McGuire, a former Subway customer of 22 years...
...Classic Barber's owners said they plan to stay open until 7 p.m. on Thursdays to accommodate commuters and will also make house calls for elderly clients.
"I'm just happy we were able to stay on Greenwich Avenue," John Morella said.
Nick Perrelle, a Subway-turned-Classic customer from Darien, said the opening of the new barbershop was a welcome sight on a street dominated by high-end boutiques.
"It's nice to see a family business like this can survive on Greenwich Avenue," said Perrelle, who works in technology sales.
Perrelle said he has been coming to Greenwich to get his hair cut by the Merollas for nearly five years because of their no-nonsense but friendly way of doing business.
"Most people want a relationship with their barber," Perrelle said.
Full Story: Greenwich Time
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