Ad
An ode to the ‘old school’: Local barber keeps shop talk alive and well at his South Valley salon
Shop talk is the norm at Isleta Barber Salon.
It’s those wide-ranging conversations — on faith, family and life — that keep shop owner Joaquin Candelaria, 47, going and his clients returning. And they are what have transformed this barber shop into a South Valley institution.
“A lot of people come back here because they like to have that old school relationship where they could get together and talk,” Candelaria, whose faith plays an integral role in his life, said. “Really, the main reason why I think people come back is because I think a lot of times people need an outlook on their life — and sometimes they need some good advice.”
Candelaria has cut hair for nearly three decades. He has been at this shop, at 2724 Isleta SW, since 2008, though many patrons followed him from a previous shop he operated at Coors and Gun Club SW.
He joked that maybe it’s his smile that keeps them coming back. But it is those conversations and his talent with the clippers in his hand that have earned him customers for life.
“If there’s any way I can try to help people get back to their roots, that’s kind of my main goal,” he said.
