Guelph barber Franco Figliuzzi remembered for love of family, profession

Franco Figliuzzi is pictured in this image from the video profile 'Franco's Barbershop'. (Troy Bridgeman / Youtube)

The man who may be the most well known barber in Guelph died Tuesday at the age of 74.

Family members say Franco Figliuzzi, the owner of Franco’s Barber Shop on Wellington Street East, died in a Toronto hospital, after suffering a massive stroke.

“Dad was the most giving man ever. He always put other people in front of him,” said son Joe Figliuzzi.

Joe was the oldest of Franco’s three sons – he also had a daughter – and remembers sweeping up the store in his youth.

Joe was also the only one of the sons not to follow their father into barbering.

Middle son Claudio was the first to do so.

At the age of 15, he told his dad that he wanted to become a barber.

He remembers Franco’s excited reaction – and that while he was willing to hire his son, he wasn’t about to let him coast through the job.

“In the beginning … he was tough on me, but tough love was good,” Claudio said.

“He taught me everything I know.”

Franco opened his shop in 1967, just weeks after Joe’s birth.

Before long, it became one of the most popular barbershops in town.

“I don’t think there’s a person who sells cars in Guelph who hasn’t had a haircut by Franco,” said Randy Moretti of Moretti Barbering.

Initially, Franco was one of three barbers on staff. Over time, the roster would expand to six – including the two sons.

Paul Figliuzzi was the last son to join the business, about 14 years ago.

He remembers his father as a “very happy” and “very proud” person, who would always walk into the shop in the morning with a coffee in his hand and a smile on his face.

“I’m really going to miss that,” he said.

Away from the barbershop, his sons say, Franco liked nothing more than to be around his family, and to play bocce ball at his cottage.

He was also a big hockey fan – a constant in the crowd at Guelph Storm games, and a big booster of the Montreal Canadiens.

In 2006, Franco’s was paid a visit by the Stanley Cup itself – a scout for the then-champion Carolina Hurricanes was a regular customer, and knew Figliuzzi would love the chance to see the trophy.

“His face was glowing when he picked it up,” Claudio said.

“We weren’t supposed to, but he did it.”

A sign at Franco’s Barber Shop notifies customers that the shop will be closed until July 7.

After that, Claudio says, the store will reopen and keep going “the way he wanted it to be.”