Dundalk Barber Makes Hall of Fame

Cy Avara opened his first barber school in Baltimore on West Pratt Street in 1960 and in Dundalk 10 years later. Since then, 5,000 students have graduated, with 1,500 more coming back for advanced classes in hair styling.

Next week at the National Association of Barber Boards of America's conference in Myrtle Beach, S.C., Avara will officially be recognized for his contributions to his craft—and community—with membership in the barber hall of fame.

Baltimore Sun columnist Dan Rodricks profiled Avara Tuesday, highlighting his recent hall of fame recognition. Urbanite magazine also profiled Avara and his school last year.

"He's a past president of the National Association of Barber Boards [made up of state barber boards], in 1970, so he's been doing this a long time," said current NABBA executive director Charles Kirkpatrick with a chuckle. "He's trained people from all over and helped a lot of people get through the school" and start a career.

Considering the numbers of barbers across the country, being named to the barber hall of fall is a significant acheivement. Avara will be the only barber admitted this year and just the 57th barber honored overall since the hall of fame's founding in 1965.

The hall of fame is located inside the Ed Jeffers Barber Museum in Canal Winchester, Ohio, near Columbus.

Avara's father, who immigrated to Baltimore from Sicily, was a barber, Avara told  earlier this year, so it was natural for him to take up the scissors at age 14.

"It was in my blood," he said.

The vision of opening a barber school came to Avara when he was a young soldier serving in Korea trying to get his mind off the sub-zero cold.

"I began planning it in my mind, step by step," Avara recalled. "I set up goals and reached them when I came home."

Chet Dembeck contributed to this story.

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