October 26, 2022
New York State Secretary of State Robert J. Rodriguez today issued a proclamation to Claudio Caponigro, fondly known as Claudio the Barber, who loyally served the community of East Harlem as a barber for over sixty years. Claudio’s Barber Shop on 116th Street famously served as the backdrop for a Jennifer Lopez music video. Mr. Caponigro retired and closed the shop in August 2019.
“Claudio Caponigro’s Barber Shop was an institution for generations of families in East Harlem, including my own family,” said Secretary Rodriguez. “Barbering is a noble and rewarding career and one Claudio led with pride every day. Claudio and his Barber Shop will forever be remembered for his compassion, his advice and his welcoming presence to anyone who walked in the door. For Claudio, we were all family. I thank him for his decades of serving his community and I encourage anyone who is interested in a barbering career to let the Department of State help you.”
Claudio Caponigro first applied for his barber license in the mid 1950’s. He established his small business in the heart of the Harlem. He became a staple of the community, by serving the residents, political leaders, and personalities of the entertainment world who came to his shop to get a haircut with a barber who gave them a friendly attitude and the same price from the very beginning: $10, never raising the price.
He did it for six decades with the same enthusiasm and respect that it went on to becoming an institution and an informal historian in the community. His work transcended to generations of residents who came to support a local businessman and a friend. Claudio went far and beyond when he went to local hospitals and nursing homes to cut the hair of his friends and clients when they needed the most.
Claudio the Barber was known for his loyalty to his clientele that he never had a phone line before 2012 in his business because he did not want to be interrupted when he was giving a haircut and having a conversation and giving out a little of a history lesson of the area to his clientele.
Claudio Caponigro said, “I’m so thankful for being able to receive this recognition that is an honor for me, my family and my Harlem community. I did not realize I touched so many lives as I did leaving this lasting impression on people like Secretary Rodriguez.”
As an economic development engine, The New York State Department of State licenses 39 occupations, from real estate agents to security guards to barbers and it assists aspiring entrepreneurs by making it fast and easy to form a business in New York. As of today, there are 4,491 licensed barber shops in New York with 12,337 licensed barbers and 3945 licensed barber apprentices.
The Department of State offers many opportunities to become a barber. Before you can start your barbering career, you will first need to be licensed by the New York State Division of Licensing Services. The New York State Division of Licensing Services offers a barber license so applicants will be licensed in the practice of shaving, cutting, and designing hair, mustaches and beards.
To become a licensed barber in New York based on education, follow these steps:
- Graduate from a New York State-Approved Barber School
- Submit a New York State Barber Operator Application
- Schedule and Pass the New York State Practical Licensing Exam
- Begin a Career as a Barber in New York and Renew Your License Every Four Years
To become a licensed barber in New York based on training as an apprentice, follow these steps:
- Complete a one-time course of study regarding "the transmission of contagious diseases and the proper methods of sanitation and sterilization"
- Submit a New York State Barber Apprentice Application, and work under the supervision and direction of a licensed barber for at least two years
- Submit a New York State Barber Operator Application
- Schedule and Pass the New York State Practical Licensing Exam
- Begin a Career as a Barber in New York and Renew Your License Every Four Years
For more information visit: https://dos.ny.gov/barber