Hot Wheels and Haircuts

BY CHRISTINA GERMANO

The walls of Details Barber Shop in Nyack are adorned with a collection of Hot Wheels, photos of Tupac, and a college honor roll certificate. Customers play chess and Xbox while they wait and the aroma of sage burns softly throughout the shop. The shop’s owner, Victor White, known locally just as “Roc,” takes as much pride in the atmosphere of his barber shop as he does in the quality of his haircutting services. According to Roc, “Everybody that comes in here is from every nationality, creed, sex, and I make them all feel comfortable. This is called the safe zone. Everybody is welcome.”

Originally from the South Bronx, Roc also lived in Atlanta and Pittsburgh before he relocated to Nyack and acquired the barber shop from its original owner, the late Alan Russo. Since becoming the owner, Roc has made it his foremost goal to forge the bonds of a close-knit community from within his barbershop. Local policemen, hospital workers, teachers, firefighters, and the like all flock to Details Barber Shop to take part in what Roc calls “the whole barber shop experience.”

Perhaps the most unique aspect of Details is Roc’s Hot Wheels collection, proudly displayed throughout the shop. The collection started unintentionally when one customer presented Roc with a car and others started to follow suit. Now, rows of Hot Wheels Porsches, Corvettes, and other collectibles line the walls from ceiling to floor. Roc calls a 1929 Hot Wheels car, hung prominently on the wall, his “little gold piece.”

The old adage “Each one, teach one” is the foundation upon which Roc builds his relationship with the community. He strongly believes that community members should help one another, especially for the benefit of children. Roc rewards any child with a good report card with a free haircut, telling them, “If you take care of your brain, I’ll take care of your hair”. His commitment to academic success is evident in his daughter’s Rockland Community College high honor roll certificate, propped up centrally among his Hot Wheels collection. After getting their haircut, Roc presents each child with a Hot Wheels car from his personal collection, a gift that serves as a token of his gratitude and friendship.

Details Barber Shop, located on 69 Main Street in Nyack, brings to life the old-fashioned barbershop experience that most people think only exists in movies. Roc welcomes all members of the community to stop by his shop for a fresh haircut, a game of chess, or even just a friendly conversation.