Hair salon and barbershop owners in Napa County welcomed their clients back Wednesday after stay-at-home orders shut down their businesses for more than two months.
But with the coronavirus still spreading, the businesses have to follow a long list of sanitation and social distancing rules, such as staggering appointments and getting rid of communal magazines.
Since Gov. Gavin Newsom gave hair salons and barbershops the green light to reopen, Gustavo Pena’s phone has been ringing nonstop with customers asking when they can come in.
"A bunch of my customers were the ones sending me messages, messages on social media," he said. "I was just getting bombarded."
Pena spent the day wiping down every comb and clipper at his Stags Barbershop in Napa. Appointments must be staggered to limit crowding, which means customers will have to wait for their turn outside.
“We don’t want people lounging in here,” he said. “The whole 6 feet, we don’t have too much space.”
Over at Whirlwind Blow Dry Lounge in downtown Napa, owner Stacie Harrold spent her day lining up appointments for the weekend and making sure she follows all the new rules, including no facials, makeup or eyelash extension services.
“We’re going to be taking temperatures, asking questions,” she said.
Harrold said a bulk of her business comes from weddings and tourists. But with most weddings getting postponed, plus the added costs of face shields and extra cleaning supplies, she worries she may have to raise prices to make up for the loss.
“It seems bleak with the tourism in the next year, but, yeah, we’ll just keep going and all our locals will support us,” she said.
