Cipriani’s, barbershop with old time flair, opens in downtown Carson City

CARSON CITY, Nev. — Cirpriani’s Barber Shop is writing a new chapter.

The local icon for more than 40 years held a ribbon cutting April 5 at its recently-opened second location in downtown Carson City at 318 N. Carson St.

“I’m continuing my grandfather’s legacy. I worked for 10 years with my grandmother,” said Nick Fontanez. “The shop got too small and they let me leap out of the nest.”

Fontanez’s grandmother, Maria Cipriani, and his mother, Deanna Fuentes, still operate the shop at 807 N. Plaza St. His grandfather, Eddie Cipriani, who died in 2008, opened the business in 1974.

Fontanez manages the downtown, 500 square foot shop located on the first floor of the historic building that once housed Murdock’s clothing store, across the hall from Battle Born Social, which served food and drinks for the opening festivities.

The shop features old-fashioned barber chairs where Fontanez cuts and styles hair as well offers shaves with a straight-edged razor, which he demonstrated on Mayor Bob Crowell with his grandmother’s assistance during Wednesday’s celebration.

The shop also features a shoe shine station called Shiny Soles Shoe Shine Services owned by Mike Smith, who operates there on Tuesdays and Fridays.

“I started doing this when I was 13 years old, I learned it as a kid back in Mississippi,” said Smith. “I do it with pride.”

Fontanez said he was working 12-hour days at the other Cirpriani’s location and wanted to expand and add another barber when he saw the space available on Carson Street.

“It took me like two seconds to realize it would be perfect,” he said.

He hopes to appeal to a younger clientele at the downtown location, but most of all he wants to honor his family’s history.

“I really want to make it a pillar of Carson City,” said Fontanez. “I want it to be a place the community can rely on.”