Derek’s Barber Shop

Derek Anemoduris establishes himself as one of Revere’s premier barbers

Derek Anemoduris reigns as one of the most prolific three-point shooters in Revere High basketball history. The former captain and leading scorer on the 1997 and 1999 RHS teams still holds the single-game record for three-pointers with eight.

“My senior year we beat Cambridge Rindge and Latin (in Cambridge) for the first time in history,” proudly recalled Derek, who was a flashy 5-foot-8-inch guard and distributor for Tony Ferullo’s state tournament teams.

After playing college basketball at Framingham State, Anemoduris coached in Medford and has returned to the RHS program as an assistant on current head coach David Leary’s staff.

This year, Anemoduris, 40, is celebrating a major milestone in business as Derek’s Barber Shop celebrates ten years at its 235 Park Avenue location. The popular shop at the corner of Cambridge Street is experiencing a resurgence in customers after a challenging year due to the pandemic.

Making a career decision

What made Derek Anemoduris choose hairstyling as his profession?

“When I was growing up, I always cut my friend’s hair,” said Derek. “In high school, I used to shave all the basketball players’ heads. When I went to college, some kids didn’t have a lot of money so I started giving the basketball and football players haircuts. Thursdays and Fridays, I would make some money for the weekends.”

Though he took courses at Framingham State with the goal of becoming a schoolteacher, Derek decided he wanted to enter the hairstyling profession.

Derek studied at the New England Hair Academy in Malden in a program that required 1,000 hours of training. He has been a licensed barber for 18 years.

“I worked at other shops before I decided to open my own business,” related Derek.

The shop has a distinctive, sports-minded décor that highlights Derek’s interest in memorabilia. His incredible collection of bobblehead dolls feature basketball greats, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, and Kobe Bryant.

His clients includes classmates and friends, including Mayor Brian Arrigo

Several of Derek’s friends, classmates, and teammates are regulars for haircuts at the barber shop.

One celebrity client happens to be Revere Mayor Brian Arrigo, a childhood friend and former youth sports teammate. Many of Revere’s finest and bravest from the Police and Fire Departments also patronize Derek’s Barber Shop.

“The Mayor comes here,” said Derek, smiling.

In fact, Arrigo was in the barber’s chair last Wednesday for his bi-monthly appointment. The city’s chief executive took the occasion to congratulate his friend on the success of his business.

“I just want to congratulate Derek on the tenth anniversary of his business,” said Arrigo. “I’ve known Derek since the time that we were 6-7 years old at karate school on Revere Street with John Salvitti. I played basketball, baseball, and soccer with him and I’m incredibly proud of what he’s been able to accomplish over the last ten years. I look forward to many more years of Derek’s Barber Shop being a great business in the city, and we as a city wholeheartedly support him.”

As for Derek’s hairstyling techniques, Arrigo gives his personal barber five-star reviews.

“I’ve been getting my hair cut here for the last five years,” said Arrigo. “I have to refresh my look and Derek’s been making me look great. I come here every two weeks and I trust him to make sure I look good every day.”

Arrigo and his wife, Daveen Arrigo, also take their sons, Joseph and Jack, to Derek’s Barber Shop for their haircuts.

“It’s an ongoing and fluid situation and a lot of negotiations and a lot of lollipops are involved, but our boys come here to get their haircut and Derek does a great job,” said Arrigo.

“The Mayor and I played sports our whole lives together,” said Derek. “Some people don’t believe it, but he [Arrigo] really was a very good athlete.”

Derek, the son of Dennis and Debbie Anemodoris, said he is happy to see business returning to normal at his popular shop where he and fellow barbering professional Artie Cook are helping customers look their very best.

“I’m grateful to my customers for their continuing support and welcome new customers all the time,” said Derek, who looks like he could still take the ball to the hoop or bury one of his patented three-pointers.