Last year, like so many other New Jerseyans, Danny Bermudez faced a major business hurdle. He had operated a barbershop in Vineland for 10 years and then found that the pandemic caused his business to slow down and then stop.
He was forced to close his store due to the pandemic and did not receive unemployment for 16 weeks. Neither is his wife.
Bermúdez thought he had come up with the perfect plan for his barbershop, The Dugout.
After winning a Winnebago raffle in 1995, Danny made plans to set up a shop there and drive to offer his hairdressing skills from his mobile home.
But unfortunately, at the time it was illegal to operate a mobile hair salon in New Jersey.
Enter State Senator Mike Testa, who happened to be a client of The Dugout. He saw injustice and used his influence to raise awareness and eventually help create a new law, legalizing mobile hair salons.
The law, which will take effect in March, helps bring haircuts, manicures, pedicures and other hairdressing services to people through mobile salons on wheels. This is not just convenient. It can be essential for those who are homebound or immobile.
Yes, there are some restrictions. One of them is that the services can only be provided with the vehicle stationary. Too much. It would be interesting to get a haircut, shave, or a manicure while flying down the Parkway at 80 mph.
Talking seriously. This just makes sense. In a state where small businesses are often underestimated, this is an idea whose time has come.
The views expressed in the above post are those of Judi Franco, 101.5 talk show host from New Jersey only.
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