水果派AV

Espinal dubbed his business Upstate's Finest Barbershop almost on accident, he said. The 29-year-old Dominican native, who moved to Auburn from Queens in 2010, said he branded the shop partly based on his previous understanding of the "upstate" area: anywhere outside of New York City.

Nevertheless, Espinal said Upstate's Finest has seen growth in the central New York area聽since opening last April as he works to be "one of the best in the business."

"I'm not going to stop learning. I want to be one of the good ones," Espinal said. "I want to live up to the name of the shop."

The barbershop is located on Columbus Street in the former building for聽Joseph's Salon. Espinal, who formerly worked for the hair salon and spa, said owner Joseph Chindamo relocated at some point in April last year, giving Espinal the opportunity to slide into the space.

Chindamo, who has been cutting hair since 1976, decided last year that it was time to "move on" from the Columbus Street space to the city's east side at 11 Walnut St.

Espinal, known as "Rafy," worked at Joseph's Salon for around six to eight months prior to the relocation, Chindamo said. In that span, Chindamo said the 29-year-old proved himself to be "very talented."

"He's popular," he said. "He does a lot of designs in the hair. He's got good clientele and he's good at what he does."

The transformation of the former Joseph's Salon into Upstate's Finest is visible in the interior, Espinal said. The barbershop has a handful of聽cutting stations set up with repainted walls, a TV and an air hockey table for children, and he plans to install a refreshment bar.

The real difference between a barbershop and a salon, however, lies in the vibes, he said.

"The atmosphere is different. We talk about sports, the kids in high school sports, football and all that," Espinal said.

Upstate's Finest offers haircuts, shaves, hot towels and hair tattoos, which are buzzed, stylized designs into a person's head. These designs can be faded gradients of hair, while others can invoke color dye for effect.

Espinal said he is currently focused on growing his business the best he can as he nears his one-year anniversary.聽While he didn't grow up wanting to be a barber, Espinal said he finds enjoyment in the craft, coming into his business after stints at both Joseph's Salon and聽Ruscio's Barber Shop.

"It's great. You always have a great conversation with a lot of different people," he said. "I always liked the interactions."