Communities Rally Behind Their Stylists: The Truth Behind the Chair
Owner Amy Dooner of Amy’s Salon & Day Spa closed her doors on March 20. “I remember when I walked out the door and got chill-bumps all over me; I’ve never felt like this before,” says Dooner. Located in the Sautee Nacoochee Valley in north Georgia, she operates a small salon that she says, “If you can imagine Steel Magnolias, it was like that.” The salon employs two other stylists and a massage therapist. Because she employs three people, Dooner qualified for the PPP loan. “It was a $17,000 loan for a sole-proprietorship and $6,000 free and clear from the Disaster Relief Fund,” says Dooner.
For her and her employees, the reality of their situation rested entirely on the support from the government and their clients who were able to stay employed during the pandemic, working remotely from home. But after their reopening on May 5, their full schedules would disintegrate. “My book would be full and then there would be phone calls to postpone appointments,” says Dooner. As COVID-19 continues to linger in Georgia, clients everywhere are reluctant to allow a stylist close, regardless of the State Board of Cosmetology standards, OSHA regulations, and government mandates.
On March 27, President Trump signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which would allow states to provide a $600 federal payment in conjunction with the state’s unemployment benefits. Doubt shrouded millions of American’s thoughts as rumors flashed across headlines as to who would qualify and how it would be dispersed. As a fellow stylist in Georgia, I had no idea how I would make ends meet, either. Relief came just before the national $1200 stimulus payment was sent out. But some didn’t qualify for any unemployment benefits or CARES supplements.
Thousands of independent contractors who operate their private salons under the salon suites business model didn’t meet the state’s standards for unemployment, leaving them at a loss for how they would pay their bills. With the closing of salon doors and the uncertainty of when we would be returning to work, we had growing concerns as to whether we would be able to support ourselves for the unforeseen future.
The requirements from the state for salons to reopen were extraordinary. “One looming question is whether businesses that do reopen have enough personal protection equipment, such as masks and gloves, to keep their employees…safe and comply with federal and state guidelines,” according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC). The recommended Far-infrared thermometers, gloves, face shields, masks, capes, and sanitizers were in such high demand that it often took weeks to get the necessary equipment.
Many salons reopened with the promise from Amazon that the thermometer was on its way. Salons required each person to maintain a six-foot social distance from others, which is impossible when working on a client. But the fear of not reopening and closing their doors permanently forced stylists back behind their chairs. Some salons in Georgia have implemented a system to temperature check each client and to have the client sign a waiver, documenting their risk potential for contracting COVID-19 and whether they have any symptoms.
Essence Amberge of Salon Amberge closed her doors on March 25. “I literally cried because I didn’t know when I would reopen. There was no help for us,” says Amberge. She, like many, didn’t qualify for the Payment Protection Program (PPP) loans. The salon sat empty for weeks, widening the gap between her last paycheck to her ability to cover her bills. “I had one client who paid my bills for an entire month,” says Amberge. Her client, like many others, supported their stylists as much as they could.
It is the relationship stylists build with their clients that allows for support, for human connection. That connection was severed, pushing many into isolation. Without human contact, “Public health actions, such as social distancing, can make people feel isolated and lonely and can increase stress and anxiety. However, these actions are necessary to reduce the spread of COVID-19,” states the CDC. Amberge’s client of three years, Chris Flores says, “the only issue I have with the masks is that I have a skin condition on my face that they exacerbate, but I have no issues wearing them in stores.” Clients understand the need for masks in enclosed spaces.
The proximity to clients creates the potential to spread COVID-19. Three of Amberge’s clients tested positive. “I went and I was negative,” says Amberge. Her three clients who tested positive had been at The Heretic before it closed down. “Heretic, an Atlanta gay club, has suspended its events “out of an abundance of caution” after several patrons tested positive for COVID-19,” the Advocate reports. Our communities are at risk when clubs and bars open their doors with no face mask requirements or social distancing regulations.
Stylists and business owners had to get creative to create some income while their doors remained closed. Rae Limmer of Marvel Salon created a package deal for clients to support her salon while they waited to reopen. “I ran my own stimulus package,” Limmer says. “Buy two haircuts, get one free. The response has been really great!” Her ingenuity got her through the weeks of closure, that, and $1000 from the Small Business Administration (SBA).
It is in these challenging times that humanity can step up and help others. “My faith in humanity was really strengthened,” says Limmer. “My clients were sending me money.” Receiving some money when a business is closed for an unforeseen future can make all the difference to a person. Relationships are strengthened in a community that supports one another.
The amount of work that stylists must put in to sanitize their stations and salons in between each client is a daunting task. OSHA standards require each tool, surface, and anything that has come in contact with a client must be sanitized before the next. Jamie Wright of Studio J has noticed a significant shift in the way he runs his business. “The biggest change is the way I book,” says Wright. “I used to overlap appointments, taking a haircut while another client’s color was processing, but have extended my hours and am not overlapping.” Productivity is gauged by the way a stylist can book their appointments, maximizing the time that they are at the salon. Downtime is lost income.
“It’s been a collaborative effort with my clients. I tell them what I am doing to keep them safe and they do as well,” says Wright.
But there are still clients who do not feel comfortable interacting with someone in proximity. Fear still lingers in the air, alongside the threat of catching COVID-19 and being asymptomatic. Louis Bejarano of Pelo Salon changed how he did hair while his salon was closed. “I did a lot of house-calls. All were outside,” Bejarano says. Now that his salon is open, “a ton are just not showing up because they are afraid, especially the older ones,” says Bejarano. He has noticed a shift in the engagement between him and his clients. “They’re deeper,” Bejarano says. “There is a lot of positivity.” Enriching conversation among those who are sharing an experience is how we move forward.
Our future is an unknown, a conversation yet to be had. The bond between a stylist and their clients brings people together, strengthening the community they live in. It is in the chair where people share their victories, their losses, broken hearts, and much more. Stylists want their communities to know that they have their best interest at heart, and are working tirelessly to ensure a safe experience.
