2014
Frank Louis Barcelona
Illinois
Frank Louis Barcelona (1940- ) was born in Joliet, Illinois. His parents, Rose and Dominic, both were in the hair business with a salon on the side of their home. Frank graduated from A.B. Molars Barber College in Chicago in 1962 followed by an apprenticeship of 27 months. After nine years at Louie’s Barber Shop, he established Barcelona Barber Salon in 1971 in Joliet.
In the 1960s, with the popularity of long hair for men, Frank knew he needed to change with the times. By taking classes from the Chicago Guest Artist Association and working with a stylist, Luigi Conte, he learned about hair coloring, sectioning and using a brush and dryer. In his own ship he handpicked people who had special tonsorial skills, thus he was able to serve every client need in one location through the use of referrals from one specialist to another.
The day that Leonard De Luca (also Hall of Fame member, 2009) walked into his salon, he changed his products to Roffler, and a friendship began between the two men. Frank went with Leonard to hair shows to observe what platform work looked and sounded like. He knew that this was what he wanted to do—platform work—to demonstrate, excite and educate with products and hairstyles.
In 1973, he made the Illinois State Haircutting Team and competed in the 1973 USA Finals where the team took a second-place trophy. He went on to the join the Roffler Demonstration Team and made the 1776 Super Symposium Team that demonstrated Roffler Razor techniques along with keeping the 1776 theme with hairstyles called the Betsy Ross, Thomas Jefferson, etc. In 1979, Frank was featured in Roffler Top Picks magazine for designing a haircut that can be used for educationally demonstrating how to check a competition haircut for blend and perfect balance. He also became a member of the International Guest Artist Association and judged many competitions.
Frank has motivated students all around the country about the barbering profession and about having a good code-of-ethics for success. On his days off he gave his time to work with students at the Joliet Barber College and helped with placement for the new graduates in other locations, if he couldn’t accommodate them in his own shop. He worked with barber college owners and high school and vocational school counselors to incorporate barber education as part of the high school academic curriculum so that upon graduation the students would be able to take the barber exam and go right to work.
Frank and his wife of 51 years, Elaine, now live in retirement in Clearwater, Florida.