Working -- Arturo Castillo

--Story by Torus Tammer; photo by Greg Fry

HE IS

An old-school barber.

THE ACCIDENT

Castillo, 42, began his career as a professional barber 17 years ago

when a mishap at the factory where he worked left him incapable of

physical exertion.

“When I got injured, I didn’t want to wait for the factory to

compensate me,” he said. “So I decided to do find something else --

another career -- so I went to the Rosston Barber School in Anaheim.”

NIMBLE FINGERS

Castillo said he has fine-tuned his skills over the last 10 years by

giving an average of 30 haircuts each day as one of three barbers at

Art’s Barber Shop, 17438 Beach Blvd., Huntington Beach.

He said he is busiest on Saturdays, when he can give up to 60

haircuts, most of which are short cuts.

“I perform many different styles, like flat tops, fades, steps and

shaves,” Castillo said. “The most popular style that everyone asks for is

the fade.

“In the old days, that was called a Marine cut, and it is where it’s

short in the back and sides and as it gets closer to the top it blends

in.”

Castillo said he takes Sundays off to be with his wife of 20 years and

his three children.

FORGOTTEN SKILLS

When giving a fade cut, Castillo said, there should not be a line

anywhere on the head. It’s a barbering skill that requires a lot of

patience and comes with experience, he said.

There is one tool in particular that distinguishes a barber from a

hairstylist, Castillo said.

“When I went to a barber college, I learned how to use the electric

clippers,” he said. “That’s the main thing you need to be a real barber.”

Castillo, who has built up a regular clientele over the years, said

every day is different, but that the most exciting part is the social

interaction with his customers.

He said he feels as though he sometimes is a social worker and other

times a philosopher, talking about current affairs topics, such as

business and politics.

NO PROMOTION

No appointments are necessary for anyone in need of Castillo’s

services. He is proud to say that all of his customers are either

walk-ins or referrals by other satisfied clients.

He said the law of averages also works in his favor.

“Sometimes regular customers move and go out of state, but I’ll get

three new ones,” Castillo said. “I’m lucky that way.”

IN VOGUE

Although the people who get barber shop haircuts vary across the

board, Castillo said he gets to work on a lot of teenagers when the

barber shop style is seen as a trend.

But he cautions that all trends come and go, and that some are more

forgettable than others.

“About 12 years ago, there was a hot trend where we used cut or shave

numbers and names into the person’s hair,” Castillo said. “But that

didn’t last too long.”