Stylists at Benito’s Hair Styling cut the last locks of hair at the Circuit Avenue location last Tuesday, after 35 years. The closure reflects a larger trend, in the down-Island town and across Martha’s Vineyard, of the shutting down of many favorite mainstays.
Tracey Briscoe, owner of the barbershop, couldn’t hold back tears as she cut the hair of Nick Roberts, who has been a patron since 2018. Briscoe has worked at Benito’s since 1994, taking over the barbershop from Benito Mancinone, or “Papa Benito,” when he retired in 2013.
“See you in Edgartown, girls,” Roberts said to Briscoe and hairstylist Nicole Downing as he left the barbershop. New management of the Circuit Avenue building, and higher rent, forced Briscoe to make the decision to leave Oak Bluffs and the treasured storefront — Benito’s original salon chair sat in the window, and hundreds upon hundreds of vintage baseball cards once lined the walls. Briscoe didn’t want to charge her clients more to offset the rent.
Benito’s was located at 38 Circuit Ave., and the building was bought in late August by VWC Oak Bluffs Realty LLC for $2.657 million, according to the town property card. A clothing store next to the barbershop also closed up shop recently. The closures join businesses like Linda Jean’s and Phillip’s Hardware, which have also shut.
Now Briscoe has downsized to a chair at Gypsy Barbershop in Edgartown. She said she’ll keep the phone number from Benito’s for appointments.
“It’s hard,” Briscoe said last Tuesday. “I don’t know how I’ll get through today.”
It was a hard day for everyone. Downing said someone came by at 7:30 am just to see the place for the last time, and that they had appointments scheduled all day. On a busy day, they’d see at least 36 people for a cut, though that didn’t include walk-ins and all the people who would pop in to say hi.
Patrons of the barbershop include three generations of Islanders, Briscoe said. Downing, who had worked at Benito’s for 4½ years, thought she’d retire at the place.
“It’s family,” Briscoe and Downing said in agreement, both about the barbershop and Circuit Avenue.
I feel so bad for the girls . I spent 10 summers in Oak Bluffs from 1949 to 1959 when it was affordable for everyone. Now it’s only for the wealthy.
Tracey cut my summer hair for years. She’s always a joy to talk with. Benito’s on Circuit will be missed. OB is undergoing some sad demographic changes.
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