Despite nail and hair salon owners meeting every guideline in order to reopen, they seem to be challenged every step of the way.

By Mary O’KEEFE

After about three weeks of allowing hair and nail salons to reopen, the governor’s office has once again ordered their closure. This time around an amendment to the order to close has been made that allows hair and nail salons to reopen if they conduct business outside, much like restaurants do; however, nail and hair salons are not like restaurants. Therein lies a major issue leaving salon owners asking, “Why us?”

“Whoever is making the rules doesn’t know anything about salons,” said Gina Glasgow of Tres Amores hair and skin salon, 3720 N. Verdugo Road in Montrose.

Glasgow questioned why department stores can allow people into their establishments with only the requirement of wearing a face covering while salon owners are not allowed to remain open despite being given, and following, very strict guidelines that go far and beyond simple face coverings.

Glasgow has been in the business for a long time and had recently opened her shop Tres Amores. She and her staff had celebrated the shop’s first year in March 2019 just before the closure. When she first learned what needed to be done to reopen she was worried about her future and the future of her business, but knew the protocols were something that needed to be put into place. She felt lucky to have a landlord who worked with her during the pandemic and was anxiously waiting to open the shop’s doors again.

“This has been very bad,” said Amy Pang of Amy’s Nail Place at 2906 Foothill Blvd. in La Crescenta.

Pang worried when the order to close came down but, like others, she understood and had confidence that she would be able to reopen. When the word came that she could reopen she was happy and hopeful that her clients would return.

“The first week was slow, the second week was better and then the third week was almost back to normal,” she said.

And then the order came to close again.

This was particularly difficult for salon owners because many, including those interviewed by CVW for this article, had purchased new materials and equipment to keep their customers safe and meet state mandates.

Personal protective equipment [PPE] was bought not just for shop owners and workers but also for their customers in case it was needed. Pang purchased a special air purifier and Glasgow purchased PPE and added sanitizing cleansers.

“We bought all sanitation [stuff] like masks and extra gloves. A lot of that was out of stock and then, when we did find it available, the price had doubled because everyone was buying it,” Glasgow added. “Then we only worked for three weeks.”

“I feel we are not being heard by [LA] County [representatives],” said Emily Deringer, hair stylist. “They don’t understand what goes on day-to-day in a salon.”

Deringer recently started work as a stylist at Bishops-Cut /Color, 1715 E. Colorado Blvd. in Pasadena. She pointed out that salons and stylists have had to follow strict sanitation guidelines long before COVID-19.

“The main reason why you need to go to school and get those extra hours [working supervised] is so you can learn how to perform in a safe and clean environment,” she said.

Glasgow agreed, adding, “We actually have to take extra courses for sanitation.”

She said she always used hospital-grade cleansers prior to the pandemic. Then after the reopening guidelines were issued, the salons were required to do more.

“We have a separate board that inspects us. [Inspectors] just show up. We are constantly on the lookout to keep our customers safe and everything is sanitary … and it feels like we are being punished.”

Deringer was hired two days prior to the second closure; she had just switched from another salon. Her salon had paid for employees to be instructed on following guidelines to reopen. They, like others, had made certain to have all customers sign in, providing valid contact information for contact tracing.

There were requirements to have customers wait outside in another area until they were called to enter their shop resulting in fewer customers being serviced in order to provide enough time to do a deep cleaning between clients.

Though salons are allowed to work outside it is almost impossible for hair and facial operators to do so. Pang has taken her nail salon outside to the parking lot of her business, which has created more issues.

“It’s very hard. It takes me [about an hour] to move everything outside. I work alone so when I am outside I can’t hear the phone so I miss customers,” she said. “It is getting hot, too. I am very concerned about my customers.”

  Mary Okeefe, robin goldsworthy