Meet Julius Scissor: The Artist Behind Philadelphia's Most Eclectic Salon

By James Young

Salon owner Julius Scissor showcases his artwork at his namesake salon on Locust Street. He stands here next to his favorite piece, Scissor Face.

Julius Scissor may be the most unique hair salon in all of Philadelphia. 

Julius himself, the owner and sole employee of the eponymous business at 2045 Locust Street, is far from your average stylist. The first thing you might notice upon walking into his shop is the eclectic collection of art adorning the walls. Julius, an artist of both hair and paint, created these pieces with inspiration from the visual tradition of Greco-Roman art, a style that he has enjoyed since his youth.

(Frank Pinto is his legal name, though his preferred moniker is Julius Scissor, and that’s how we’ll refer to him throughout this article.)

Philly-Raised

Scissor grew up here in Philly, living with his parents and siblings in an Irish Catholic neighborhood, though he himself is Italian-American. After attending Catholic school in his youth, Julius originally intended to pursue a degree in art. According to Scissor, this ambition was stopped short when he was forced to drop out of high school after facing violence from a teacher.

Following this incident, Julius’ mother suggested that he change his plans and instead attend a hairdressing school, where he could utilize his passion for art in a practical manner, while also delving deeper into his lifelong passion for scissors. (Julius holds a patent for a specially designed pair of scissors.) His mother’s suggestion would eventually propel Julius into fame and success.

The beginning of this success came when Julius won a hair-cutting competition at age 16. This victory secured him a job at a local salon called Harvey’s House of Beauty, where he developed his skills by watching the more experienced hairdressers. According to him, “each of them had one thing that they were great at,” and he studied them to learn their particular skill.

Propelled to Greater Heights

While working this job, Julius received a call from a larger salon in Huntingdon Valley, offering him a position there. He accepted the offer, but told the owner that he would need to give his two weeks’ notice at Harvey’s before switching shops. 

After hanging up the phone, his boss at Harvey’s, having overheard the call, asked if he was indeed giving his notice; Julius confirmed that he was, and his boss exclaimed, “Are you stupid? Call them back right now and tell them you can start right away!”

After working for a time in Huntingdon Valley and other notable salons across Philly, Julius was looking to change directions. He wrote and pitched a TV show about a hairdresser named Julius Scissor, but was unable to get it picked up. Determined to make use of the name, which he had thought of due to his love for scissors and his tendency to wear his own hair in the style of Caesar, Julius finally opened his own salon in 1970 at the age of 22.

Soon after, a local TV station interviewed him. The momentum kept building, and within a short period he was interviewed by multiple major publications, such as Philly Mag and the Inquirer. His popularity grew, and his shop quickly became a success.

A Neighborhood Gem

Julius, now 82, has cut the hair of “thousands and thousands” of people.  According to him, going to hairdressing school rather than art school was “the best thing that ever happened to [him],” and he prefers cutting and styling hair over painting because “people sit down in [his] chair and they have needs. Art doesn’t have needs.”

The shop’s location in Rittenhouse/Fitler Square has been beneficial, as there is plenty of foot traffic in the area. Julius says that the neighborhood began to change for the better when the Wanamaker House (an apartment and condo complex on Walnut St between Fitler Square and Rittenhouse Square) was built, as it increased the population density of the area.

Julius Scissor offers his services four days per week, Wednesday to Saturday. He charges a base price of $75 for a men’s haircut and $85 for a women’s haircut, with additional options for coloration, styling, etc. He also offers a 30% student discount on all services. 

As he says on his website: “As a young man, I picked up an assortment of sharp instruments with the intention of beautifying the people of my city. Now years later, as I look back on my success and plan for my future, I realize that you, my patrons and future clients, are my daily inspiration. With respect for your needs and my abilities, I invite you to sit in my chair.”