LAKEWOOD, Ohio — Friday is a big day for several industries throughout Ohio, including hair salons and barbershops. Governor Dewine has given them the green light to reopen amid the coronavirus pandemic.
“People seem to be ready to get back in. I think people know that we are taking this very, very seriously. We are not cutting any corners,” said Ashlin Bacik, the owner of The Lock Loft in Lakewood.
Reopening for salons throughout Ohio is a delicate balance of incorporating intense safety protocol laid out by the state and rescheduling the clients that have had to cancel their appointments these past couple of months.
“I was calling people, texting people, emailing people, trying to get everyone back in,” said Bacik.
But she said, for her clients, things won’t be the same as before.
They will no longer be waiting inside. They’ll text their stylist when they arrive.
Clients have to have a mask on that goes around the ears before they enter and leave all personal items at home or in their car.
When they get inside, there will be a temperature check.
“They’ll also sign a waiver and we’ll be asking a few questions. Asking if they’ve been sick, if they’ve been around anyone who is sick, if they have been feeling unwell, and at that point, if they have answered yes to any of those questions, we will have them reschedule at a later date.”
Bacik said stylists have always disinfected and sanitized in between every client, but now, it is heightened.
The salon will only be at half capacity or less at all times to make it easier to be socially distant.
“We’ve rotated our schedule. We are working 7 days a week, so each person is working half shifts,” she said.
All of her employees will also be wearing masks at all times.
The Lock Loft lost over $250,000 in the course of the last two months, Bacik said that’s another reason why they have to be so cautious when reopening. She said another shut down would be hard to recover from.
“For a small business like us, if we did have to shut down again it would probably be devastating for our business. We cannot have that happen,” she said.
To read more about state mandated safety protocol, click here.
