‘Figaro is the character I like to emulate . . . happy, no cares.’

Wearing an ear-to-ear grin, George Tecoraro--also known as George Figaro, the Barber of Seville--will discuss anything with anybody. And he’ll hold his own on it. Music, especially opera, is one of his favorite subjects. He’s very religious, very Italian, very patriotic, and proud of it all. His shop in Normal Heights is the haunt of many locals; Times photographer Dave Gatley interviewed him there.

I’ve run my own business for 20 years. I own my own home, have a small mortgage and I own the property where I have my business. I don’t have to answer to anybody. You know that’s something; very few people get to that point.

I’m perfectly happy doing barbering. I don’t really mind driving an old car, and I don’t mind not having the best of clothes or things like that. If you learn to live humbly and simply you will be contented. That’s what I teach my children.

I tell my children: “I would like you to be independent businessmen, but at least get an education because you really need it.” When I was a child I made money as a paperboy, and then I worked in my older brother’s gas station. He’s the successful one, in terms of money; he has a garage in Escondido. He’s 45 and a pretty happy man. I’m the black sheep. I really felt I missed out; if I had it to do over again, I should have done many things in my life. It was my mistake not to discover everything. Now I have a deep mission in life . . . my family.

What happened is that I finished high school at the same time that I got my barber’s license, and that first week I worked I made $90. Back in 1961, that was almost as much as what family men were making and I thought, “I don’t need no college.” I was wrong. I should have worked, but at least I could have gone to college half time, because when you’re young and you have that opportunity you better take advantage of it. I did go on to eventually get an AA degree in real estate.

I simply want my children to be better than me. That doesn’t mean they have to be smart, great or good. They just have to be better than me. I wouldn’t feel success as a father unless I turned them out to be better than me. I tell my children that the hardest lesson to learn is to learn to buy only what you need, not what you want.

In our family, everybody has to work, everybody has to uphold their end. I say, “When you grow up, you’re going to have to work. I don’t care what you do, it just has to be honorable; you can’t be a bum. The only thing you can’t do is be a bum.”

My wife is Italian, very traditional, and we maintain an old-type European tradition at the house. My role is to support the family and have the last word on decisions. On any important matters, even money matters, we discuss these things out of respect. Our philosophy is that the only social reality is family life; everything else is false or secondary.

I grew up in Milwaukee, Wis. When people ask me “Are you really from Seville?” I tell them: “Yes, I’m from Seville, Wis. And that’s why they call me the Barber of Seville.” My wife picked the name . . . because Figaro was a go-between, a diplomat, and he considered himself a craftsman. I consider myself a craftsman, and I love the opera. Figaro is the character I like to emulate . . . happy, no cares. He’s like a hero of mine. I use Figaro as an alias. My real name is Tecoraro.

Behind that (barber’s) chair is my platform, because if somebody sits down, I have a captive audience; they can’t get up. They could talk back, but they won’t. People usually like me a lot, or they can’t stand me.

I put all my emphasis on the quality of that particular haircut. My general philosophy is: you don’t have to like me, just like the haircut. I sell a haircut, nothing else. I always have to maintain control when I’m behind that chair, because if I lose control they’re going to get a lousy haircut, guaranteed.

I do the best I can with God’s help. I’m just a barber. I pray every day. If you don’t pray, it’s all bull.