Haircuts and Heart: Barber Alec Mastrangelo celebrates 50 years in the West End

Alec Mastrangelo is an icon of Adelaide's West End, wielding scissors and stories with equal skill.

His beloved barbershop—Alec’s Hairdresser and Stylist—has become a local institution, with October 2024 marking five decades on the tools at his Leigh Street business.

His contribution and camaraderie remain so strong that the City of Adelaide honoured him with his own laneway, Alec’s Lane, that runs alongside his shop to mark the milestone.

“(My job) is a passion—I have been a barber my entire life,” he says.

“And with passion, nothing is hard.”

Mr Mastrangelo—sometimes nicknamed Figaro from the opera Barber of Seville—started his business in 1974, just years after moving to Adelaide from the village of Anzano di Puglia in Italy in 1967.

Over the years he has clipped the hair of clients including Jay Weatherill, Barry Humphries, George Kapiniaris, Kevin Pietersen and Guy Sebastian.

He spent the first 10 years operating the business on his own before taking on staff.

Mr Mastrangelo says the longevity of his business has “been like a dream”, with the key to his success stemming from treating everyone equally.

“Most of the people that come here become like good friends… and we keep a good relationship,” Mr Mastrangelo says.

Generations of customers have come in to see Mr Mastrangelo for a trim, banter and a cup of coffee over the years, and says he can now “recognise people from the back of their heads”.

With no plans to put away the scissors, Mr Mastrangelo says he looks forward to welcoming even more regulars going forward. 

“A lot of people came here as a child and they (still) come in all these years later,” Mr Mastrangelo says.

“Now we are giving (haircuts) to the fourth generation of customers, so I have no plans to retire.

“Maybe even to the fifth generation (one day).”

AEDA caught up with Mr Mastrangelo as part of its ADL Local ‘A Day Out With’ campaign in 2022, where Discovery Parks chief executive Grant Wilckens listed the business as one of his favourite city businesses to visit.

“Where else can you spend $25 and get a fantastic coffee, haircut and amazing amount of banter — I just love all the chat with all the guys here,” Mr Wilckens told aedasa.com.au.

“Alec is such a good man … everyone that walks out of here is laughing and has a great time.”

You can learn more about Mr Mastrangelo and his business here.