Pa. Gov. Shapiro asks some small Philly businesses what they need beyond less red tape. For many, it’s saving SEPTA

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The vibe inside a West Philly barbershop was decidedly casual, as Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro donned sneakers, a bomber jacket, a white shirt and no tie.

Shapiro then settled into a barber’s chair, engaging in an open conversation with small business owners Darryl Thomas, Zina Johnson Patrick and Ann Turner, all leaders of the Pennsylvania Professional Image Alliance.

Before the public discussion, Shapiro spent time with a select group of barbers on the second floor of shop Philly Cuts — all of whom are small business owners in their own right because they rent chairs and bring their own clients to the shared space.

Three key topics emerged during the public discussion with hair industry leaders: state level deregulation with extra support ideas for small businesses, what Shapiro can do to save SEPTA from decline and ways the governor can shield vulnerable residents from policies enacted during the upcoming Donald Trump presidency.

On SEPTA, Shapiro had little to share in response on Thursday other than he was instrumental in helping avert a workers’ strike. He promised more information soon.

A press conference at the Frankford Transportation Center in Philadelphia is expected Friday morning.

Shapiro said his administration took part in negotiations with the Transit Workers Union Local 234 — SEPTA’s largest union, representing the bus drivers, trolley and subway operators who threatened to strike for weeks.

“I won’t let SEPTA fail,” Shapiro told WHYY News.

Beyond that, the governor previously served as the state’s attorney general under the first Trump term and promised to protect civil rights on Thursday. He said he wouldn’t hesitate to file lawsuits against the federal government if it steps out of bounds.

And when small business owners told him about a fellow shop owner who could be dealing with a potentially unscrupulous insurance company, Shapiro didn’t hesitate to offer the full support of consumer protection through the state’s insurance regulator.

Head barber Thomas owns Philly Cuts, which he says is the center of his community and has been since the mid-1990s.

“This is the Black man’s country club,” Thomas said. “Any issues that are going on, they’re discussed. And most times in here we develop a plan of action and we go at it.”

So when Shapiro sat down to talk shop, sports and public policy, the barbers leaned in.

Shapiro’s administration already trimmed the time needed to become a licensed barber, from two weeks to same-day approvals.

“One of the ways you create more opportunities is you break down all the silos that exist in government. You cut through the red tape and you get people to work more quickly,” Shapiro touted.

But Thomas is on edge about the future because his community relies on social safety nets, and there are many mixed immigration status families such as Jamaicans and Haitians in Philadelphia.

“I’m a little nervous. That was one of the things I spoke to the governor about,” he said. “You have people that need SNAP benefits, that need affordable healthcare, [who] are going to be affected if [Trump] holds true to the promises prior to getting elected.”

The shop in the 4400 block of Chestnut Street showcased portraits of prominent historical figures, including boxers Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier, and political activists Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. More recent political figures included a poster of former president Barack Obama.

Obama did not visit Philly Cuts; instead he stopped by a barber shop on 52nd Street while campaigning in Philadelphia.

But this year, Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee for president, recently visited Thomas and his barbers.

When asked about the economy, Thomas said some voters this Election Day didn’t look back far enough in history.

“If you voted for an economy, you would know that the economy that Trump received was because of Obama. What we’re going through is a residual of when Trump was president [during his first term],” he said. “And we get to look at how this economy is really going to pan out. One thing is for certain. Philly Cuts [will be] in the trenches doing what we need to do to stop the immediate bleeding [from Trump’s federal policy trickledown] and the governor already said he’ll do what he needs to do to protect Pennsylvania’s people. But it’s time to buckle up.”

For the Pennsylvania governor, these conversations are not new.

“He frequents this spot. And I’ve been up to Harrisburg to talk with him on various issues and supported him in this initiative,” Thomas said. “Particularly the one about fast-tracking licenses and stuff like that because that was a hurdle for us. He cares. He is a guy who shows up, that comes to the neighborhood to check on us, check our temperature and see results. He grabs info and he takes it back and he gets a result.”

The governor emphasized his track record of cutting the red tape and the use of executive orders.

Since being sworn into office in January 2023, Shapiro has pushed some bureaucratic tendencies of state government aside — from an emergency no-bid construction contract to rebuild a collapsed section of I-95 to streamlining state permits — to improve the economic competitiveness of the region.

“The commonwealth has a focused effort in not just driving dollars out to small and large businesses. But making it easier for them to do business here is something the private sector is taking note of,” Shapiro said.

So when Shapiro said he would take care of SEPTA, the barber said he believes that.

“SEPTA [will] be fine because we were promised by the governor and I believe in Shapiro. He’s a man of his word. They’ll work it out,” Thomas said. “When you think about SEPTA, they’re suffering the aftershocks of the pandemic.”

Thomas, a Democratic loyalist, praised the policies of Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker, including her return-to-office mandate.

“Parker just not too long ago, brought everyone back to work so that would help because they use mass transportation,” he said. “But people form habits. When you look at the barber and beauty industry, we haven’t totally healed from the pandemic. [People] didn’t go to work so they didn’t have to get their hair done.”

The group also discussed the possibility of newly licensed barbers statewide getting an email from the state after approval of their applications to include information that helps them navigate the realities of running a business such as liability insurance.

“Like some kind of email, some sort of website we can direct folks to,” Shapiro said. “Congratulations, you got your license, here’s all the other things you gotta think about.”

“But that’s what PPIA is for,” chimed in Zina Johnson Patrick, vice president of the Pennsylvania Professional Image Alliance and owner of Hair 4 U at 16th and South streets.

“Okay, so we should be getting them an email that hooks them up with you,” Shapiro said.

The business owners also wanted more direct information about new state laws in their industry.

“Sometimes we’re not aware of the new laws that are in place,” said Ann Turner, president of the PPIA and owner of Hair Du Jour Salon. “A lot of businesses are closing down. What can we do to help them from closing? And do they still have their license active [so they can] work in another business? From state to state because some people have relocated.”

Then the sitting governor broadened the discussion to topics beyond the hair industry regulations and license processing times.

“What else do I need to be thinking about? I usually come here to get my assignment,” Shapiro said.

Public transportation, said Johnson Patrick.

“If you don’t have clients taking a bus, then we can’t make money,” she said. “Our clients catch the bus, they don’t want to pay for parking on South Street. But if the bus is not running how do they get to the shop? This is important.”

It’s expected that before the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, there will be more progress on the SEPTA situation as there is an anticipated press conference this morning, according to a social media post by a Spotlight PA news reporter late Thursday.