HUNTINGTON ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” Marshall UniversityÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s first football game following the 1970 plane crash ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” a contest against Xavier University on Sept. 25, 1971 ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” was a memorable one.
Frank Fuscardo, owner of FrankÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s campus barbershop, said if Marshall won that game, he would cut hair for free the next day. Following the victory, he ended up cutting hair for 13 hours, and if a football player came in, they got to jump the line.
ItÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s one of the many stories Jeffrey Bills, 66, has of his stepfather. Fuscardo died Sept. 4 at the age of 89.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œHe was hard core,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Bills said. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œHe taught me how to be independent. Got to cater to the public if you want to have a successful business; you got to be there consistently. He taught me a lot.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
Fuscardo was served draft papers on Christmas Eve when he was 19 or 20 years old, Bills said. He was honorably discharged from the U.S. Army in 1962. He moved from Weirton, West Virginia, to Huntington to begin his entrepreneurship journey with Tally Boys Pizza. In 1963, he transitioned to barbering, and by 1968, he opened his own barber shop on 4th Avenue next to Marshall.
After decades of success, Fuscardo retired earlier this year, officially passing the business down to Bills. HeÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™d been working two days a week for about 10 years prior.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œWeÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ve seen so many customers when they retire, they go home and do nothing and then they die within a year, so youÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™re gonna have something to keep you busy,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Bills said. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œMy mom passed in 1997 ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” his wife, Sandra ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” and he had to have something. He didnÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™t have any hobbies. I guess a hobby, since he was only working two days a week, was barbering. He liked talking to the people, talking politics, arguing politics. You had to know Frank. ... He was one of a kind for sure. I mean, heÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s an icon. He knows so many people or many people know him.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
Bills said Fuscardo didnÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™t have a lot growing up. He came from a family of six, and his dad died when he was 12.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œDefinitely came from Catholic Italian hard-working ethic ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” old school,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ he said.
Bills said a lot of people have reached out to him in the past few days with condolences. He appreciates it because his stepdad meant a lot to the community.
The Campus Barbershop is now located at 1455 4th Ave. It is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday.
