T Q&A

Seven years ago, Thomas Curley moved his barbershop downtown after
buying longtime Tucson barber Johnny Gibson’s shop. During his stint
downtown, Curley has garnered a positive outlook on downtown
revitalization—and on how to survive as a small business owner
during an economic downturn. Curley’s shop is at 53 N. Sixth Ave.; call
622-8410 for more information.

Where was your business located before you moved
downtown?

I was on the eastside at Speedway (Boulevard) and Kolb (Road).
Lowe’s came in and purchased the property and developed it, so I had to
look someplace else. I found out that Johnny was selling, and I bought
his place.

Was it a culture shock going from the eastside to
downtown?

No. I’ve been coming downtown for 30 years.

I mean doing business downtown. You’d never done business
downtown before, right?

Yes. (Smiling.) It’s quite different. I was able to keep a few of my
customers. Most of my clients now work downtown for the city, the
county and the state. I also inherited several generations of families
who still come to this spot.

Is it easy to do business downtown?

The parking situation makes it a challenge. And when the freeway
closures began, and when the Fourth Avenue underpass was blocked off,
that’s when we noticed a change. But this business has changed, too. In
the barrios and neighborhoods, there are other barbershops opening up,
and people just don’t come downtown for a haircut.

What do you see as the biggest issue since you’ve been
downtown?

Parking. We need more meters along this street. But ParkWise did
give us a 45-minute space for us to use right in front. Parking is
always a struggle, yet people find ways to get here. We’re also in an
economic depression, so that doesn’t help business. And styles are
changing right now. Guys are growing their hair longer.

You said your wife is retiring soon. What about you?

I had a stroke two years ago, and I recovered very well. I’ve been
doing this for 30 years. What else would I do? It’s a slow time right
now. We’ll go from having one good day to one bad day. We used to have
five good days.

Your barbershop is part of the ArtFare building. Do you
like your landlords and what they’re doing for downtown?

They are making a great effort to try something good for downtown. I
give them a lot of credit. … This space has always been a barbershop
for 68 years. Every time I see (ArtFare’s) drawings of the block, we’re
still there and still part of their plans.

Are you worried that the economy will force you to close earlier
than you intend?

I never worry about that. I think we’ve turned into a payday
barbershop. Fridays and Saturdays are our busy days. When the winter
visitors leave, summers are always slow. I know business will change
once the freeway opens again and once the Fourth Avenue underpass
opens, too. We lost 20 percent of our business when the freeway
closed.

What are your thoughts on downtown revitalization?

They need to get a direction and stay on task.

Is your family from Tucson?

My dad met my mom when he was in the Air Force 49 years ago, and we
were away for about six years living on different U.S. bases. I served
in the Marine Corps. When I came home, I was at Pima (Community)
College, barber school and bartending. When I graduated from Pima, I
started at the UA, but then decided to stay in barbering. In the late
’90s, I got my insurance broker’s license and thought I was going to
leave the business. In 2001, I was with AIG, but I knew we were headed
for an economic depression. I got out and went back to barbering.

Did barbering seem steadier in the long run?

In this business, if you give someone a bad haircut, they’ll tell
you to do a better job next time. It’s not like that in the insurance
business. … Most of my customers are my friends. My wife will say to
me, “You don’t have any friends.” Well, my friends are my
customers.

Are you as hopeful about downtown as you are about the
economy?

Yes. It’ll happen. It’s going to take a big collaborative effort to
make it happen and make all the pieces come together. Some people still
say (Tucson Electric Park) should have been built downtown. But that’s
a ghost that’s better left in the past. Most of the time, I’m just
grateful that I have customers that come to me, even if they have to
park on another street.

This article appears in Jun 18-24, 2009.