KENNER, La. (WGNO) – His hands are still as steady.
His styles are still in style.
The way they were when he began buzzing Louisiana heads back in 1947.
WGNO Good Morning New Orleans features reporter Bill Wood asks “have hairdos changed much?”
The barber here says, “changed? Every three or four years, five years, you know they change.”
It’s been a good 75 years in the barber business for Claude Todaro. He’s the barber at Claude’s Barber Shop in Kenner.
Bill Wood asks, “how do you stay in such good shape.”
Claude the Barber says, “hard work, don’t drink, don’t smoke, don’t chase ladies.”
Now, at nearly 96, Claude has no plans to put down his scissors any time soon.
He says, “when the Lord tells me to retire, I’ll retire.”
His resume reminds you, Claude Todaro is a combat veteran of World War II and the Korean War.”
He says, “it was a crazy war, our mission was to bomb the supply lines.”
He was a teenager and a sailor on an aircraft carrier in the South Pacific.
He served eight years.
Bill Wood wonders, “do you feel like a hero?”
Claude Todaro says, “no hero, just an ordinary citizen, I did what I was supposed to do for my country.”
After the wars, he returned home to follow in his father’s footsteps. His dad was a barber before him. They even shared a shop for a few years.
He’s been a barber since a haircut was a quarter.
Closed Sundays, Mondays, and most holidays.
Just like in the Navy, they take orders at Claude’s Barber Shop.
Claude says, “when you go into the military, that’s what you should do, follow orders.”
