DANVILLE, Ky. (LEX 18) — When Gov. Andy Beshear announced hair salons would be required to close on March 18, Amber Smith said she broke into tears.
“I would never in a million years think that there would be a time I would have to stop doing this,” said Smith, a stylist at Impressions the Salon and Spa in Danville.
Since closing their doors to customers, salon owners Jeanna Hutchinson and Vanessa Mackey have been on weekly calls with salons around the country brainstorming what reopening might look like.
With cosmetology businesses allowed to reopen Monday under new guidelines, Mackey said everything is in order to ensure staff and customers are safe when they walk through her doors.
“I feel really good about it. We’re prepared and ready,” said Mackey.
When you walk through the doors of Impressions the Salon and Spa, you immediately come up to a table with hand sanitizer and masks ready to use. Beyond the table, stylists are only using every other chair in the room and are sanitizing more frequently.
“Sanitation has always been so high in the cosmetology world anyways. There’s a few extra precautions that we’re having to take now like with masks,” said Mackey.
Employee temperatures will be checked before they are allowed in the building and they will be required to wear a mask. While customers are encouraged to wear masks inside the salon while getting their hair done, they will not be required to do so.
“I just want [customers] to know we’re doing everything we possibly can to keep them safe, to keep us safe, and to make everybody happy again,” said Smith.
The salon is operating on appointments-only currently. Only those being serviced will be allowed in the building in order to help limit the number of people inside.
You can read the state’s full list of requirements for cosmetology businesses to reopen here.
