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Along Olney’s commercial corridor on Small Business Saturday, pride was mixed with concern over Trump policies

Small businesses need to be reminded of their importance to the city, Commerce Director Alba Martínez said during a tour, calling them "a critical part of our whole economic ecosystem."

Justin Lee, owner of Fern Rock Hardware, takes a group photo with city and state officials outside his shop in Philadelphia, Pa., on Saturday Nov. 30, 2024.
Justin Lee, owner of Fern Rock Hardware, takes a group photo with city and state officials outside his shop in Philadelphia, Pa., on Saturday Nov. 30, 2024.Read moreTyger Williams / Staff Photographer

If the sidewalks of Philly’s North Fifth Street commercial corridor could talk, they would speak of how a senior couple love their customers so much that they are reluctant to retire; how a family man found the strength to hold on tight to his sports apparel store during the pandemic; and how a Bangladeshi family has brought comfort and community to the neighborhood.

For Stephanie Michel, executive director of the Olney Community Collaborative, these small-business stories are part of what makes Olney “the hidden gem of Philadelphia.”

And on Small Business Saturday, Michel was joined by members of the city’s Department of Commerce and City Council, along with state representatives, on a tour of the neighborhood’s economic spine to show support for the more than 350 businesses along North Fifth Street between Roosevelt Boulevard and Godfrey Avenue.

“Small businesses are the backbone of our neighborhoods’ economies and, frankly, are a critical part of our whole economic ecosystem,” Commerce Director Alba Martínez said. “Over 30% of jobs in the city are generated by small businesses.”

Mayor Cherelle L. Parker was not able to attend the tour due to a scheduling conflict, city officials said.

For Holla Sporting Goods owner Michael Crawford, Parker’s absence was noted. So was the support she showed for Olney’s small businesses during her time as a Council member.

“This was her area; she used to lead us [small businesses] in the right direction,” Crawford said, recalling the struggle of navigating pandemic protocols to keep his then-freshly inaugurated sports apparel store afloat.

Since then, he has created a family business offering licensed merchandise, university sports gear, varsity jackets, and more, which he hopes to one day pass down to his son.

Eagles victories, the Sixers “getting it together,” and Phillies winning seasons are all good for business. But family structure, he said, creates a sense of intimacy that keeps consumers coming in.

“You can see an owner like myself [in] the store on a day-to-day basis so you don’t feel like just a number,” Crawford said.

For now, the only number that mildly concerns him is how President-elect Donald Trump’s promised tariffs will affect his small business.

According to Michel of the Olney Community Collaborative, taxes and imports have become common concerns for the corridor since the election. But they are far from the only ones.

In a neighborhood where many small businesses are immigrant-owned, Michel said, there is concern about how Trump’s immigration policies will affect the corridor.

“They are contributing neighbors to our community; they care, they are involved, and they pay taxes,” said Michel. “They want to be here, they inspire, and they improve the quality of life here.”

Susie Oh and her husband, Young, met in Olney and opened a discount store in the corridor in the late ’80s. Soon, it turned into Diva Beauty & Luggage, a full-on beauty store that caters to the needs of Black Philadelphians, Susie Oh said.

Thirty-five years later, they are avoiding retirement and continue to work 60 hours a week so as to not abandon their customers.

“My customers say, ‘Don’t close the store, we need you here,’” Oh said. “Most beauty stores around here close, but the barbershops and hair salons still need these products. This neighborhood needs some actual stores. It is not easy to get online products, especially with wigs — they like to try them on.”

As the occupant in the White House changes, the Ohs, who are Korean Americans, plan to continue business as normal, hoping not to be too affected by the transition of power in Washington.

Across the street, Rang Islamic Fashion owner Ara Rita is also working to put her concerns aside and focus on strengthening her small business offering Islamic clothes, shea butter, perfumes, home goods, and books.

“We just have to keep working hard,” said Rita, a Bangladesh native.

Her parents, brother, husband, and son all work at and subsist on her small business, which opened in early 2024. But she isn’t afraid of what the future might bring, in large part because she feels supported by her neighborhood.

“The community is very friendly. They are very nice, welcoming, and accepting. They check in on us, [make sure] we are OK.”

In return, Rita has created a space for members of the Muslim community to shop for things that remind them of home, and a place for all Philadelphians to be introduced to new cultures, fragrances, and styles.

Seeing all the officials coming in to shop Saturday made her tearful.

“It’s like a dream,” Rita said. “This is our bread and butter. This is everything for us.”

In total, the group visited six businesses along the North Fifth Street commercial corridor, including Fern Rock Hardware, smoothie shop Miixies, and Island Taste Jamaican Restaurant.

“It’s a good way to encourage small-business workers who are feeling discouraged or deflated because things have been slow throughout the whole year,” Michel said.

As Small Business Saturday came to an end, focus shifted to the Olney Winter Festival on Dec.14.