Old-fashioned Ditmas Park barbershop turns 100

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BROOKLYN (AP) — A Ditmas Park barbershop that has served as a confessional for its customers has just turned 100.

Leon's has just the right atmosphere for customers to spill their beans. It has 1950s leather barber chairs and offers $14 haircuts and $13 shaves.

John Messina owned the Newkirk Plaza shop for a quarter of a century. He tells the Daily News he sometimes felt like a priest.

While being a good listener, current owner Leon Kogut also has a knack for matchmaking.

He's introduced five customers to five other customers' daughters.

One of the few customers who kept things close to his vest was the late Hugh Carey — long before he became New York governor.

Messina says "he spoke very little."

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