Manager of the Diego salon, opened in 1950, Sylvain Pichta has done the hair of tens of thousands of Sétois

Sylvain Piechta a coiffé des dizaines de milliers de Sétois depuis 1980, dans le petit salon de la rue Montmorency. Midi Libre – Patrice Espinasse

Opened in 1950, the historic Diego salon closed its doors for lack of a buyer, rue de Montmorency. Its manager Sylvain Pichta, who is retiring, recounts his 43 rich years as a hairdresser.

Seeing his face and his magnificent mustache, you might think that 43 years of hairdressing had given him white hair. However, it is better to trust his broad and frank smile. Sylvain Piechta will miss his customers and the converse is undoubtedly even more true.

At 63, the Lorraine, who fell in love with a woman from Sétoise and then with the city, bows out. Since January 1, 1980, he has dexterously handled scissors at 58 rue Montmorency. The oldest men's barbershop in town. Opened by Diego Rodriguez in… 1950, then taken over upon his death by his son François, in 1965, the business finally fell to Sylvain fifteen years later. "J&#39 I met François just before going to do my national service. I came to cut his hair here and it must not have been too bad because he offered me to work on it."

Mixed ideas and customers

Sylvain Piechta takes a break. "If someone had told me that I would work there for 43 years and ten hours a day, I would have run away!' Yet, despite a strained back, it was 43 years of happiness. "Here, I was lucky enough to have a generational clientele, from grandson to grandfather. And people from all social backgrounds, who ride Ferraris or who cannot afford to buy a second-hand bike. There was a mix of ideas and very enriching and fulfilling exchanges."

In this observatory of the community of men, Sylvain saw elected officials, artists, anonymous people pass by… His clientele was local but there were faithful from Mèze, Agde and even Montpellier and Béziers! "Often extraordinary contacts. As we stopped, several teenagers came to hug me and say a word to me. The tears weren't far away."

Twenty years of the Hair and Beauty festival

Just read the reviews left on the forums to convince yourself that the Diego salon was really an excellent address. That Sylvain knew how to welcome. That he handled human relations as well as his pair of scissors. And that at 14 € the cut was also a good plan. 

At almost 64 years old, Sylvain will finally be able to think about himself, his family, traveling and his sport, swimming. In retrospect, he can be proud to have also co-chaired, with François Rodriguez, the Promo Coiffure committee, organizer from 1985 to 2005 of the Coiffure Beauté festival which attracted every October, hall Brassens, 120 apprentices from the entire department.

The only regret is ultimately not having found a buyer. Sylvain pulled out his hair for a while. But it would have taken more to make the oldest hairdresser in town look bad.

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