Sergei Firsikov flew to St. John on May 9 on a plane chartered by the Newfoundland and Labrador governments for Ukrainian refugees. (Caroline Hillier / CBC)
The hair dryer and clipper Sergei Firsikov brought from Ukraine are not included in the contacts of his new chair at the Fogtown Barber Shop in downtown St. John’s. But his scissors and combs – and his personal style – fit exactly.
“Everyone has a lot of tattoos. [I like] such an atmosphere, “Firsikov said.
On their first walk through downtown St. John Firsikov, he and his wife – who arrived in the city on May 9 on a flight chartered by the Newfoundland and Labrador governments for Ukrainian refugees – spotted a barber shop at the intersection of Water and Prescott streets.
When he entered, he immediately liked what he saw.
“I don’t know in Canada, if you say something like that – in Ukraine or Poland, it has an underground atmosphere,” Firsikov said.
“I do not want to work in a luxurious place where everyone is [is] dressing like a businessman. “
“He crushes him”
Fogtown co-owner Chris Evans was sitting behind a desk on a rare break when Sergei Firsikov, who came to St. John’s with a “bag of clothes and his [hair cutting] tools, ”he entered.
After posing as a Ukrainian barber looking for work, Chris’ response was quick. I said, “Yes, let’s come up with something.”
Firsikov completed Henry Porter’s haircut at Fogtown Barber, a Water Street store in downtown St. John’s. (Caroline Hillier / CBC)
Two days later, Firsikov was fully occupied for his first working day.
“He’s crushing him,” Evans said.
After posting about Fogtown’s latest rental on social media, the reaction was huge, he said.
“He can only do so many hairstyles a day. But people find other ways to support him. They tip him – they pay for hairstyles they don’t get,” Evans said.
Firsikov’s Instagram followers have more than doubled and he has been overwhelmed by support – not only from Vogtown, but also from people in Newfoundland and Labrador.
“We will appreciate it for the rest of our lives,” he said.
WATCH Sergei Firsikov talks about his love for the atmosphere of his new chair at the Fogtown Barber in downtown St. John’s:
How a Ukrainian refugee landed on his feet in a barber shop in St. John’s
Serhiy Firsikov already fits into the Fogtown Barber in downtown St. John’s
‘Happy customers’
Most of the haircut trends in Europe and Canada are similar, but Firsikov has noticed that there are more men with long hair in St. John’s, which is exciting for him because “more sophisticated hairdressing” comes with the ability to make art. “
He describes his barber style as fashionable, with a strong emphasis on texturing. However, his main goal is to make customers happy and so far he has done this part of the job.
Chris Evans, co-owner of Fogtown Barber, says Firsikov has been “lubricating” him since he started working in the store. (Caroline Hillier / CBC)
“I just let him do whatever he does, so whatever comes out is good,” said James X, one of Firsikov’s first clients.
Henry Porter, whose mother arranged a meeting after hearing about the Ukrainian barber, is excited to show off his new hairstyle at school. His hair grows fast, he explained, and is difficult to cut because he inherited curly hair from his mother.
“I’m happy to have this hairstyle,” he said.
“I like that it’s really smooth and when I touch it, I feel really good.”
“The worst day of my life”
Firsikov and his wife were already in Poland before Russia invaded Ukraine, sparking a war that shocked the world.
“It was a normal day, as usual, and my mother called me and said, ‘The war has started,'” he said. “It was the worst day of my life because I am afraid for my parents, friends and many people,” Firsikov said.
Firsikov reaches for his tools while cutting the client’s hair at Fogtown Barber. (Caroline Hillier / CBC)
He was considering returning to Ukraine to join the army, but instead decided to stay in Poland and help refugees reach a safe place from the border and find apartments.
His priority is to make enough money in St. John’s to send back to his family in Ukraine, which he worries about every day.
“Every day my mother and father call me in the morning,” he said. “Most of all, I’m afraid I won’t have a call from my parents.
LISTEN: Sergei Firsikov describes finding a new job shortly after the Ukrainian refugee landed in St. John’s:
Morning show of St. John 7:38 Ukraine barber
Meet the newest hire in Vogtown: a barber from Ukraine who makes St. John’s even cooler, an artificial hawk at once.
Video produced by John Pike
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