Clifton Journal from Clifton, New Jersey • A2

DJ Pg A2 Red Black Page 2 Dateline Journal May 9, 2002 Page Two Submissions for the Clifton People column should be mailed to: Clifton People, Dateline Journal, 1187 Main Suite 2D, Clifton, N.J. 07011. After 81 years, Eodice turns off barber's pole for good Sullivan Street ium Irfl i it i i a i ll oULLI VAIN OF OTHER Several readers have asked if the quote here a couple of weeks ago by Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria, about the new flush toilets in Buckingham Palace was real or a joke. It was real, but here is the joke. Those 150-year-old water closets with overhead tanks and long pull chains were finally replaced this year.

The palace now has neat, modern one-piece units that conserve water. third annual Spring Fling concert takes place tonight (Thursday) at 7 p.m. in Woodrow Wilson Middle School. As always, it's the work of volunteer Bob Obser, and features the Andy Ray Band playing infectious dance music from "Yesterday and Today." No charge, but they do ask that you bring a non-perishable food item for Clifton's Helping Hands Food Bank. Ralph Eodice standing in front of his barbershop and trimming a customer's hair retired re cently.

when he decided to close the doors. It may be the end of an era, but what a great chapter in the never-ending story of the American Dream. Alex bought the building children, and the family lived up- For more than 35 years stairs, with their closest Ralph gave me my periodic neighbor the firehouse. "invisible hair cut," and Anna often made up deli- without planning it that way, cious Italian meals and had I became his last customer one or the other of the kids When and Where AFTER 81 YEARS there's no longer a Eodice snipping hair at the Alexander Barber Shop on Valley Road in Albion Place. Ralph, the genial maitre de, who joined his father in the business 50 plus years ago, decided "It's time," hung up his smock and put away his tools.

"I was most fortunate to work by the side of my father for many years," said Ralph by way of a valedictory. "It has been a joy to keep the family tradition alive, and I want to thank my loyal customers and friends for the pleasure of their company. It may be time to close the doors, but we are not closing our hearts." The shop was always more than just a place to get little off the back and sides." Based on the gregarious and generous nature of its founder, who passed those traits on to his son, it was always a community gathering point and not an all male one, either. Four generations of mothers brought squirming kids in to get their first hair cut, and a surprising number of women accompanied their husbands, sitting chatting while Alexander and later Ralph did the honors. In short, it was the barbershop immortalized in the famous Norman Rockwell painting, a lithograph of which graced the walls for many years.

"As amazing as it seems," said Ralph, "there are a lot of senior citizens around town who got their hair cut by a Eodice for the first time when they were two or three years old." As some of those customers got too old to make the periodic trip, Ralph graciously made house calls. WHILE THIS MAY be the end of an era, it is by no means the end of the location as a barbershop. A skillful young hair cutter who also lives in Albion is renovating the premises even as you read this, and will have his grand opening soon. The story began in the early part of the 20 century when teenaged Alessan-dro Iodice (EE-OH-DEE-CHEE) was taught barbering by a master in his tiny village of Marchianise in Italy. At age 15 he decided to seek fame and fortune in the new world, and set sail aboard the Santa Ana, arriving at Ellis Island in 1911.

As happened to so many arrivals with faltering English, Alessandro underwent a name change at the hands of a rough and ready immigration officer. His first name was anglicized to Alexander and when he spelled out his surname, Iodice, pronouncing the first letter in the romance language style of eeh, it went on the official documents as Eodice, and acquired the new world pronunciation of YODICE. No matter, he was here, the streets may not have been paved with gold, but people were kind and welcoming. He wound up in the Paterson area, then cut hair in an Albion Place billiard parlor before eventually setting up the Alexander Barber Shop on Valley Road in 1921. He sent for his childhood sweetheart, Anna Sabino, niece of the man who taught him barbering, and they were wed in proper Italian fashion.

They raised three children, Michael, Ralph and Nicky (Bimonte), and even in the lean years, life was never less than good. ALEXANDER OFTEN entertained his customers by playing Italian melodies on the banjo or mandolin, and for years the barber shop became an exchange, with much buying and selling of stringed instruments. take them to the firemen. After Ralph was graduated from Clifton High School in 1946 he became a fixture in the shop, and took over when Alexander decided "It's time." But his father remained active in the life of the neighborhood. Anna died in 1977 and in 1982, Alexander, 88, was killed by a car on Valley Road.

The funeral was big and memorable, and the beaten up hat the village barber wore so proudly for so many years was prominently displayed. Ralph married his sweetheart, Anne, and when a son came along, they named him Alexander. Rather than join the family business, Lexi chose a career in academe, and is now the dean of students at Iona College in Westchester County, with two children. For generations of Clifton residents, Ralph is known for another role: Come December he will play the city's official Santa Claus at city hall for the 44 time, and some who met him in that role as tots now show up with their own children or, in many cases, their grand- Where was this photo taken, of whom and when? Give us as much information as you can. Call 478-7958 and let us know or leave a message.

Last week's photo was the old Sisco Dairy Farm on Colfax and Mt. Prospect avenues. It did become the Plant Store. The photo was taken in the '30s. Those that called in were: Edward Van Dorn, Richard Berthold, Joe Szew-czyk, Joe Nerone, Diane Olivari, Debra J.

Gentiluomo, John Barney, Pat Guerra, Jim Van Dorn, Gina Zhitnick, William Van Eck, Shirley Gensinger, Frank Klippel, Bob Yacona, Dolores Randall, Joe Naggio, Ron Orbe, Bob Spellman, George Cowan, Randy Aron, Paul Oeser, Elsie Kuby, Gail Faulkner, Skeets Santin, Henry (Stosh) Stasik, Jack Shea, Helen Jacko, Frances Schwarz, Linda Austin, Felix Brugnoni, Fred Ollie Bertalan, Andrew Pearson, John DeGraaf, Audrey Klein, Len Hoffman, Barbara Goga, Laura Holm, Daisy Kirk, William Kabbash, William Suklich, Michelle Genardi, Kevin Cooper, Carole Perrone and Rose Sieminski. JIM ANZALDI jsrA is a do er coSp JlLj He is committed to WS r--v making Clifton proud. Sj-J His record speaks fTZ SsW foritseif rxfK jZUJ VOTE 7 TUESDAY Jg? MAY 14th JJ CV" the Nat- Ancl i'n us at our Election Night Party at the Athenia Veterans Post on Huron 8:30 PM cliftonvT Paid for by Jim Anzaldi, Campaign Committee -156 Day Clifton, NJ 07011 I.