By YOURI KEMP
Tribune Business Reporter
ykemp@tribunemedia.net
Barbers and hair salons yesterday said they were focusing on appointments only as the sector re-opened following three months of COVID-19 lockdown.
Garcia Davis, The Edge of Paradise Barber Shop’s owner/operator, told Tribune Business: “Our first day back is good. We’re doing appointments only, so we are booked for yesterday and today. Because we are doing appointment only, there is no need to have people wait inside the store.
“Most clients put in their appointments. So we came to work today and we are rolling them in on appointment. Everyone has their infection certificate, and all of my barbers came back to work. I don’t know how I will go for the remainder of the month, as some people are not used to being appointment-based. But for now it’s been good, we have a good customer base.”
Teanes Simon, general manager of Kinkychix Salon, said: “Things are normal for the most part. It’s the regulars and we are only taking appointments. People are OK with it. We have been doing that before COVID-19. Everyone came back. Everyone has their infection certificate and everyone came back to work.”
Keya Johnson, manager at Cameron’s Clean Cutz, said: “It’s pretty busy. I have a lot of the regulars coming in. We only allow a certain amount of people at a time. We only allow ten people in at a time, including barbers and clients. We just have them park their car and come in. Everyone wants a haircut, but everyone wants to be safe.”
Asked whether he expects business volumes will return to normal soon, Mr Johnson replied: “I don’t think it’s going to happen. It’s always going to be like this for a while, taking these measures for keeping people safe. I don’t think the coronavirus is going to disappear.”
He added that each barber has to have their own Ministry of Health infection prevention certificate in front of their stall to operate a booth in his shop.
Althea Johnson, general manager of Curlz Salon, said: “Things are fine. We’re taking our precautionary measures and things are moving very smoothly. People are coming in. The only thing I can say is that I am happy to know that they are following protocols.
“We all have our infection certificates. We are just taking it one day at a time. It’s four of us altogether. We have been off for about three months, and we specialise in kids. So a lot of people have been waiting for us to get back to it.
“This is our normal busy time for the kids, because school is closed and everybody wants their summer styles. They normally can’t get their styles while they are in school, so they come to us during the summer time for their summer styles.”
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