CLEVELAND, Ohio — Salons and barbershops are now allowed to open and there are mixed emotions for owners.
“Excited, overwhelmed, anxious, exhausting, how many do you want,” The Studio Salon Owner Rachelle Yarnell laughs.
Yarnell says she’s making sure guests and her team feel comfortable.
“We have a whole bunch of people that have different emotions and so empathy is the one thing, I’ve learned to be empathetic to understand that everyone’s on a different journey right now,” she says.
The salon is extending hours and shifting schedules to enhance social distancing.
“Leaving chairs empty, switching our guests, making enough time for sanitation, so a 30 minute visit is now 45 minutes to an hour,” she explains.
Both clients and stylists are wearing masks.
Barbershops are also making changes.
“It feels awesome to be open today, I really miss my team, my clients,” says Urban Kutz Barbershop Owner Waverly Willis. “It feels great and just to get some money back flowing.”
The shop is working with mostly appointments but also accepting walk-ins.
Willis told a walk-in customer, “sign this sheet right here and if you want to grab a mask and gloves, you can sit outside and wait or you can go next door, grab a cup of coffee on us.”
Hand sanitizer is placed throughout the shop, there is constant hand washing as well as cleaning and sanitation, according to Willis.
“Everybody’s being safe as possible and I feel confident that we’ll be okay,” he says.
Yarnell says the beauty industry is skilled with sanitation.
“I joke about this but we do have a PhD, we are professional hair dressers and we really, really have followed all sanitation rules for years, this isn’t new to us,” she says.