Did You Know Downtown Augusta Has a Barber Shop? Meet the Family Bringing a Generations-Old Tradition Downtown

Did You Know Downtown Augusta Has a Barber Shop?

When you think about downtown Augusta, a barber shop might not be the first thing that comes to mind. But maybe it should be.

Barber shops have long been part of downtown life in communities like Augusta. They weren’t just places to get a haircut. They were neighborhood gathering spots, places where people caught up, talked about what was happening around town, and saw familiar faces.

Now, that tradition has a new home downtown with Coco Barber Co.

The shop opened in mid-April and is owned by Marino Coco, a fifth-generation barber. Barbering has been part of his family for generations, going back to his great-grandfather, who owned a shop in Andover, Massachusetts. His grandfather, father and uncle continued the trade, and now Marino is carrying it forward in Augusta.

He runs the shop alongside his brother-in-law, Kris, who attended barber school with him. Marino’s wife, Ayana, is involved behind the scenes, making Coco Barber Co. a family operation in more ways than one.

The space itself has been completely redone, but there’s something fitting about seeing an old-school trade find a place in downtown Augusta again.

As downtown continues to change and welcome new businesses, it’s interesting to see a barber shop become part of that story, a little bit of tradition mixed into what downtown Augusta is becoming.