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Sergio Castro gave his first haircut when he was 5 years old, when he took the clippers to the family dog.
“I gave that cocker spaniel a brand new haircut,” Castro said. “Everyone said, ‘That dog looks pretty good.’”
Castro’s playful moment with his canine has evolved into a career that’s, well, on the cutting edge.
He recently opened Primetime Barbers in Goleta’s Plaza Shopping Center, 7127 Hollister Ave., Suite 1, around the corner from the new IHOP.
A longtime barber around town, he said it was just “a prime time” to open his own shop, a moment that sparked the name.
Cutting hair has been a lifelong passion. After cocker spaniels, he turned to his friends, and by high school he enjoyed a steady following.
“Before I knew it I had a line out the door,” he said. “I said, ‘I should start charging you for this.’”
The love for cutting hair comes from making people happy.
“They walk out with a smile on their face,” said Castro, who opened the shop with his business partner, Ivan Rodriguez. “They feel more confident, better about themselves. That’s what I do.”
The San Marcos High School graduate loves cutting hair so much that it’s part of his identity — and his body. He sports a tattoo on his right arm of a hair-cutting buzzer, alongside the words “Cut or Die.”
“Tattoos — I love that they are definitive. You make a decision and they are with you, they are permanent,” said Castro, who picks up his tattoos from his world travels.
One of his favorite tattoos is the word “Conquer” on his right arm.
He might be on his way to conquering the barber shop world in Goleta.
“I just love what I do,” Castro said. “Goleta has been good. G-town.”
Merry Maker’s Market
The Merry Maker’s Market is coming.
The annual holiday all local, women artist event, Merry Maker’s Market, has a new spot this year.
On the weekend of Dec. 2-3, the event will take place at 3823 Santa Claus Lane in Carpinteria. Hours are from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and then all day on Saturday, opening at 10 a.m.
“Every piece offered for sale is handcrafted, and every seller makes her own creations,” according to a news release.
Items include jewelry, pottery, stationary, wreath and garlands, baby wear, succulent art, luxury body products and ornaments.
Tax Triumph
The City of Santa Barbara collected $2.86 million in transient occupancy taxes for October.
That’s up about 17.4% from the projected budget amount, according to a news release. The increase continues “a solid uptrend that is fueled by higher average daily rates and strong seasonal demand for rooms.”
The city has collected $13.63 million through October, and the overal TOT budget is $28.3 million.
The city’s TOT tax rate is 12%, with 10% going to the city’s General Fund and the remaining 2% going to the Creeks/Clean Water Fund.
New Subs
Santa Maria is getting a Firehouse Subs at 467 Betteravia Road.
— Noozhawk staff writer Joshua Molina can be reached at jmolina@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.