George Iliadis: The East End Barber Retires

0:00It's March 22nd. This is Canada News Today, AI-powered stories from your city. I'm Cory with the story. After 63 years of cutting hair in Toronto's East End, 84-year-old George Iliatus is hanging up his scissors. His shop at Queen Street East in Bravyu Avenue is closing and months end, marking the end of an era for the neighborhood staple. Iliatus started barbering as a teenager in Greece, moved to Canada in the 1960s and turned his spot into a hub for haircuts, shaves, and hot towel massages. He's also acted in films like My Big Fat Greek Wedding and Cinderella Man, placed chess with customers and loves drawing people in with his endless energy. Customers and locals see him as the heart of the community, a steady presence through decades of change. His retirement party drew a huge crowd, including politicians and regular say visits were like therapy, far better than just a trim. This slowed after the pandemic, with factories closing and new competition rising, while

1:02prices jumped from $2 to $40 a cut. Iliatus also wants more time with his wife, who's facing help issues and retire from the shop decades ago. Even in retirement, he'll likely make house calls for old clients, proving barbering is woven into who he is, a lifelong craft he'll never fully leave, behind.