Philly Fade Factory named Business of the Month
Local barbershop featured on national football broadcast
November’s winner of the Lansdale Business of the Month award is a local barbershop that has helped shine a national spotlight on its hometown.
Philly Fade Factory, located at 153 E. Main St., was chosen for its years of service to the local community, and for a roughly 30-second feature on NBC’s “Sunday Night Football” roughly three years ago.
“Once you’re in the shop, you realize why the Eagles, and the NFL, had a spotlight on them during a nationally televised game,” said borough Mayor Andy Szekely.
The video spot, broadcast during an Eagles game against the New York Giants on Oct. 12, 2014, shows several of Philly Fade Factory’s barbers inscribing Eagles logos into the haircuts of customers, as barber Anthony Ayala describes the shop while wearing a black LeSean McCoy Eagles jersey.
“The (Eagles) logo gets requested maybe once or twice a week. We do it often. We bleed green, all day, every day, win or lose — we’re die-hard Eagles fans,” Ayala said.
A second video posted on the barbershop’s website features a sped-up video of a customer getting an Eagles cut, and broadcasters Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth complimenting the speed and quality of the cut — “They go as fast as the Eagles offense,” Collinsworth said.
Lansdale Economic Development Committee member Ray Liberto chose the business for the monthly award for using the national spotlight to draw attention to Lansdale, and for creating a new community gathering spot by providing a quality product.
Szekely presented the award on behalf of Liberto, who was unable to attend Wednesday night’s council meeting, but described the shop’s qualifications by reading a speech from Liberto.
“Philly Fade factory has 10 employees, and services anywhere from 700 to 900 people a week. The barbershop is a very social place, and many people go there for that experience,” Szekely said. “They have so many customers from the community that they cater to, of all ages, races, and different occupations. They come for good conversation, and they leave with a great haircut.”
Szekely said Liberto first
learned of the barbershop from Tim Cornelius, the Lansdale Police Department’s bicycle patrol officer, who stopped in while on patrol and found a new spot to maintain his distinctive military buzz cut.
“He said, ‘They are a great group of guys down there, and give a haircut like he received in the Marine Corps.’ Hearing that, I went over during a lunch hour, and agreed with Officer Cornelius: best flattop ever,’” Szekely said, reading from Liberto’s speech.
Owner Jaime Sierra operated a similar shop in Philadelphia for roughly 20 years, and opened up in Lansdale in 2013. Sierra thanked God, his family, Cornelius and Liberto for their support and for the
award.
“It’s really special for us. Even though we’ve gotten a lot of (awards) like that, it doesn’t feel like this one, because this one is local. This is where we’re at, this is where our family is at, our customers, so it’s really special,” he said.
Philly Fade Factory will host a public blood drive from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Dec. 2, and those who donate blood during that period will receive a $5 discount off of their haircut, he said. Those interested in registering can do so at www.GiveaPint.org.
Sierra also thanked his employees, several of which attended the meeting and cheered and applauded as he received the award.
“Sometimes we’ve got to work a lot of hours, and I know it’s not that easy, so I want to thank everybody,” he said.
Szekely and Economic
Development Committee Chairman Jason Van Dame presented the borough’s monthly award certificate and stickers denoting the award, and Szekely jokingly asked if the barbers could do anything about his lack of hair, while Van Dame said he was glad a younger generation looks forward to visiting their barbers.
“It’s weird: My kids are always excited to go get their hair cut. I don’t remember that,” Van Dame said.
Philly Fade Factory is located at 153 E. Main St. and is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Fridays, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sundays. For more information call 215-362-3033, visit www.PhillyFadeFactory.com, search for “Philly Fade Factory” on Facebook or follow @FadePhilly on Twitter.