The Buzz in the Barbershop

When a young man heading back to school looks into his mirror and imagines himself looking even better with a buzz cut, flatop, or a faux-(mo)hawk, he checks in with Barber Carol D'Oriano of Holmdel. 

On Monday, when most hair stylists are relaxing on a day off, the electric clippers were zzzzing at , located at the end of a strip mall on Palmer Avenue in Hazlet. It used to be known as "Jay's Haircutters" for 35 years until D'Oriano, his longtime employee, bought him out March 1 and established her dream business. 

The door opened and Holmdel Football player Chris Germinario, 17, doffed his cap and announced he needed a "fade-into-a-flip." Carol directed him to Barber Mark Solomon who worked his tools on the teen with expert care. He was going to have his senior portrait taken. For a short haircut to be shaped even shorter, it took an impressive amount of time. 

Moments later, Raritan High School soccer player Josh Grill, 16, took a seat in D'Oriano's chair for a "buzz-cut number two with a box-out." This barbershop code refers to blades and hairlines, said D'Oriano. 

Back in the day, D'Oriano was trained on beauty salon techniques like roller sets, perms, and nails. But these days she invites the female customers to see her employee Lori Conklin or her 19-year old daughter Gina, who is in training to run the business herself one day. 

"I never really wanted to women," said D'Oriano. "Men are easy to talk to, easy to please and ten minutes, in an out," she said. 

She's even got two specialties for the guys, who account for 80 percent or more of the clientele. The first is the old-fashioned straight-blade shave with hot towels, appreciated by the older gents and bridegrooms. The other is get-rid-of-the grey hair color, which has gotten very popular. 

They say the hair business is recession-proof, and D'Oriano says she is quite busy. But unemployment shows up in the barber shop banter, and people are waiting longer to get their shape-ups. 

"That, and I get, 'My Mom tried to buzz cut my hair, can you fix it?'" she said. 

On October 9, Carol's Shore Cuts will offer a free day of haircuts for the unemployed. "This place is like a family, so whatever I can do, I'd like to do for my customers," said D'Oriano.