Hugo “Juice ” Tandron isn’t only barbering royalty, but he is also a trend setter and a pillar in the Cuban Exile community. In 1997 Tandron became one of the first barbers to be labeled an official team barber.
“Juice” as he is known by his friends, players on many teams and the Marlins’ faithful has become a staple in the organization. During the team’s home games you can always catch him at his shop which is on the way to Marlins lockeroom.
His clientele has expanded to not only the team, but visiting players who happen to be playing the fish. Tandron also owns Headzup Barbershop located at 16529 NW 57 Ave in Miami Gardens, FL. The Cuban- American has not only built his brand through hard work and perserverance, but has earned the respect and adoration of a community while doing it.
The @Marlins team barber @HEADZUPJUICE shares with us how got his start with the ballclub and a nice story about his good friend, José Fernández. #Cubanbaseballdigest #JuiceTandron #Marlins pic.twitter.com/xJNdgb2RVv
— Cuban Baseball Digest (@CBaseballDigest) April 3, 2024
Tell me how you became the Marlins’ team barber?
Awe man this started back in 1993 with Gary Sheffield. He contacted me through a mutual friend and asked if I could cut his hair, my friend was like, “yeah I’ll take you there by his house.” He came by the shop, which at that time was a utility room at my house in Carol City. He came by, got a hair cut and like it, so he kept coming back. By the time I knew it in 1997, I was cutting the World Champion Marlins entire team’s hair.
How does it feel being of Cuban descent to cut hair in the Cuban capital in the United States?
I mean listen man, I was born here, but my parents are Cuban. I know what I do is a big thing not only for the Cuban and Latin communities, but also for the barber community. This is something big and I’m humbled to be one of the guys that started this, being a team barber. That’s something big for me.
Being that José Fernández and yourself were good friends, give us a funny story about the Cuban right-hander.
We hit it off right away, right from the beginning. The first day I met him I was cutting hair in the Marlins’ bathroom during Spring Training and I heard this loud guy speaking Spanish and I was like, ” Who is that?” Someone told me , “That’s this young kid the Marlins picked, the phenom, José Fernández. ” I couldn’t see his face all I saw was two big Cuban Link chains.
About 10 or 20 minutes later he walks in and says,” I’m Jose”, and I said, “What’s up. He then proceeds to say,”Damn man”, in his broken English and I was like,” What’s up”. He was a very big guy. He then said to me,” How many tattoos do you have? To which I replied, ” I don’t know.” José then said,” You don’t count them.” I then told him, ” No bro.” He then replied to me, “Is it bad luck?” I said after that,” No I just don’t count them. He then proceeded to get haircut and from then on we became good friends. God rest his soul, that was my little.