Father-son duo take over longtime barbershop

Father-son duo take over longtime barbershop
By Jake Spitzack | Staff Writer | October 2025

The former Tom’s barbershop on the West Side is under new ownership. It reopened in mid-August as RicoCutz Barbershop, owned by seasoned barber Rico Talavera. He is assisted full time by his son JoJo, who also has a barber’s license and more than a year of experience under his belt. Former owner Tom Peters is still working there part-time but has his eyes set on retirement.

Rico, a former West Sider, also works as an instructor for Moler Barber School in West St. Paul. Before purchasing the shop, he most recently worked at a barbershop in West St. Paul for four years. His passion for the industry began at a young age when he cut and styled the hair of his many siblings.

“What I love about cutting hair is making people feel good about themselves,” he said. “When they look in the mirror, they see the best version of themselves, and I can attest to the power of that. It makes people really feel good and brings out confidence in them. If I can do that with a haircut and a little bit of conversation and send you on your way, then I’m all for it.”

The small brick building at 448 S. Robert St. that houses the shop received a facelift this summer, including a new sign and some flooring, painting inside and out, and refreshing the three stations with new equipment. Shaggy-haired visitors can get all the trending styles – from burst fades to blowout tapers – as well as general haircuts for all ages, beard trims and eyebrow shaping. Although they work primarily with men, women can get a few inches taken off while they’re there with their child or partner.

“The building has always been a barbershop since it was made in the 1950s,” said Rico. “I was fortunate enough to get it and to keep it a barbershop for the community…. Tom is a great guy. He still has a steady clientele that comes in looking for him specifically.”

In the coming months Rico plans to explore how he can partner with and support other West Side organizations. Aside from that, he’s eager to simply continue uplifting the community one person – one haircut – at a time, alongside his son.
“It’s been a huge blessing [working with JoJo],” he said. “I was fortunate enough to be in a position to help him in his career early on. I don’t know of any other father-son barbershops in the area.”

Hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday through Tuesday; 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Wednesday through Thursday; and 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Friday through Sunday. For more information call 651-746-4936 or visit ricocutzbarbershop.com.

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