Family owner of Blackburn's oldest barber shares his story

Passerini’s in Mincing Lance was first established in 1963 by Emanuele Passerini after he and his wife came over from Italy to work in the historic textile town of Blackburn.

Joe Passerini, 49, of Blackburn and his brother Luigi took over the shop from their father after his retirement.

Barber owners Joe Passerini (left) and brother Luigi Passerini (right)

As children, the brothers worked with their father in the shop and spent their years growing up learning the ways of the business. Explaining the transition from sweeping the floors as a kid to becoming the owner, Joe said:

“It’s been in our family for around 59 years now so it just happened. It’s all I’ve ever known so we just carried on with it. I’m very committed to my job, so I spend a lot of hours here so I don’t have much time to do anything else, it’s my life.”

Interior of Passerini's barber shop

Joe has a family of four kids, but despite the business’s strong family roots, Joe doesn’t expect his children to take over the shop, but business is very much in the family’s blood.

Joe said: “One of my lads has actually got a restaurant in Whalley called Amico Mio which he’s had for almost a year now. So, he’s happy with that at the moment, it’s keeping him busy.”

During lockdown the barber shop inevitably closed down which impacted the number of clients who returned once shops opened back up again.

Joe added: “A lot of people found another outlet, not necessarily other premises but people who were half bald or toying with the idea have shaved their own heads.

"So a lot of people did that and just stayed with it now, whether their girlfriends still do it or their mothers still do it, there’s still a lot of clients that have never come back since.

“But there’s a lot of clients that did come back who we’ve got really good rapport with. We’ve got some clients that come in here that have been here longer than I have, even before my dad.”

Outside of the longest serving barber shop in Blackburn

The business has been a trusted service to the town for around 59 years and before it was the Passerini’s, records show that a barber has been trading from the same spot since 1935 and the interior still has some of the traditional features dating back decades.