Salons OK’d to reopen Monday
DeSantis: Shops must schedule appointments, follow safety guidelines
TALLAHASSEE — Barbershops, hair salons and nail salons can reopen starting Monday under certain restrictions, Gov. Ron DeSantis said Friday.
The governor posted a video message from J. Henry, owner of J. Henry’s Barbershop in downtown Orlando, to his Twitter page to make the announcement.
“We are ready to get back to work and make some money,” Henry says in the message. “But getting back to work we want to be safe and continue to wear our gloves, wear masks, book by appointments and continue to keep the community safe.”
DeSantis met with Henry and other salon and barbershop owners, along with Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings, this past Saturday at the OhSoooJazzy Hair Salon in Orlando to discuss how best to restart barbershops and similar businesses. DeSantis’ office did not immediately release an executive order detailing the requirements for the businesses to reopen, but a DeSantis spokeswoman said shops can serve customers only by appointment to prevent large crowds from gathering. She said employees must follow strict guidelines for keeping tools sanitary and owners must thoroughly clean stores with attention to heavily trafficked and commonly touched areas.
The order will not apply to Miami-Dade and Broward counties.
Also Friday, DeSantis allowed Palm Beach County to enter into Phase 1 of reopening, which allows restaurants to operate at 25 percent capacity, and for elective surgeries, but it doesn’t include personal services such as barbershops and salons.
“Safety is always first,” Henry said.
DeSantis had been signaling that personal service shops could be opening soon.
“If you’re doing things that are safe, and the risk is small, you have a right to ply your craft,” DeSantis said Saturday at the Orlando hair salon. “We want to get to yes.”
“If you’re doing things that are safe, and the risk is small, you have a right to ply your craft.” Gov. Ron DeSantis
Personal services businesses have been shut down statewide since at least April 3. That was when DeSantis issued a stay-at-home order for non-essential businesses to slow the spread of the coronavirus, which has led to 39,199 cases and 1,669 deaths in Florida.
The six Floyd’s 99 Barbershop locations in Orange and Seminole counties are preparing to reopen next week, said Sarah Sleeth, the barbershop’s Florida franchisee.
“I definitely think that Floyd’s for one is ready to reopen,” she said. “We feel extremely ready to open.”
Floyd’s, which closed on March 18, plans to have temperature checks on both staff and customers as well as a requirement that they wear masks. Haircuts will be by appointment only and customers will not be able to sit in waiting rooms.
Sleeth said she was able to start paying her employees average wages and tips again on April 20 thanks to a $775,000 Paycheck Protection Program loan. But she was concerned about other barbershops and salons that weren’t able to get the loan.
“This is a fight for all of us,” she said.