Legendary barber in east Twin Cities, George Ficocello, passes away unexpectedly

MENDOTA, Minn. (FOX 9) - For nearly three years, Nancy Mielke worked next to George Ficocello at his barbershop in Mendota.

But now his chair sits empty, a somber tribute to the man who gave more than 60 years of his life to his chosen profession.

Who was George Ficocello?

"Funny. Amazing. People just gravitated to him. It's so sad now to come to work and his customers that first week would come and sit in his chair and cry," said Mielke.

Ficocello and his brother Bill started Ficocello's Salon in Kellogg Square in downtown St. Paul when that building opened in 1972, before moving to Galtier Plaza in the early 2000s.

For four decades, a wide cast of characters passed through the salon's doors, including the city's longest-serving mayor, George Latimer, who became a good friend of Ficocello's, even though they had opposing political views.

"He was a really good barber. On top of the fact that he was just a lot of fun in the chair and he just always knew people, knew their families, never forgot their names," said Ficocello's daughter Leah Stanger.

After his brother retired in 2012, Ficocello took his talents to another barbershop in Mendota, where about 300 of his loyal customers followed him.

Up until his death early last week, Ficocello still worked four days a week, at the age of 82, and if his customers were too old to come to him, he would go to them.

"There was a lot of sides to my dad. He was just a great guy, and it's hard to think that he's not here because it just hasn't really sunk in," said Stanger.

Outside the barbershop, family members say Ficocello loved singing karaoke and enjoyed dressing up like Elvis for other residents at the senior apartment building he had recently moved into.

George's legacy 

Now many of Ficocello's clients will go to Mielke, who will do her best to keep his memory alive.

"It was an honor to work with him and it's an honor that his customers trust and like me enough to come to me and that warms my heart," said Mielke.

Ficocello's funeral will be Friday, Oct. 4 at Church of the Assumption on West 7th Street in St Paul, followed by a Celebration Of Life at one of his favorite spots, Mancini's Char House in St Paul.