What Has It Taken To Keep Our Salon & Small Businesses Open?
One of the biggest problems that the COVID19 pandemic brought upon us was grown-out roots & shapeless haircuts, making everyone very eager to step foot into the salon again.
But a bigger problem that the pandemic brought to us, was the financial burden it had on small/non-essential businesses, especially hair salons. Many salons got hit by having to close their doors until directed otherwise & though Tijeras Hair Co. finally received the miraculous opportunity to re-open our doors in June, other salons were forced to shut down completely. We are very blessed.
Though we were given the “OK” to re-open, we couldn’t help but to feel a lingering discomfort in knowing that our “new normal” wouldn’t feel so normal after all. Salons started talking to each other through the internet & shared advice on sanitization protocol & how to keep our guests and staff safe.
In order for us to officially re-open, we knew we needed to thoroughly follow the rules set by government officials & create a plan of action that required the Tijeras staff & guests to do their part in maintaining the safety of everyone involved. Testing for the staff was mandatory if we were going to open in the months to come.
We started sanitizing from the rafters to the floor & all plants that we love had a haircut & bath. We removed anything that was nonessential, such as magazines, furniture, dishes, coffee pots,etc. off the premises.
It took us over two months to be ready for opening. With ordering new equipment such as touchless items, thermometers, disinfectant, paper towels, containers, and so on, the cost was mounting with no income coming in.
Each stylist is also not allowed to take more than one client at a time which also cuts deep into our productivity. Opening under hazardous conditions takes a toll mentally, physically, and financially & for Tijeras Hair Co., it is a necessity to be able to provide the level of safety that ourselves & our guests deserve.
The 15 minutes that we are incorporating in between clients are used to sanitize all stations before & after your visit. This procedure includes combs, brushes, shampoo bowls, salon chairs, countertops, doorknobs/handles, light switches, and all equipment that we touch all day. Porous items such as protective capes, smocks, and towels are not used twice, once we use them for your service, we wash them. Janitorial service has also been increased to maintain the cleanliness of the shop.
99.9% of our 400+ client base of over 40 years has been very receptive and supportive of our service charge and many of them believe $10 is a very small cost when they see our level of commitment to keep us all safe. The 15 minutes we use is equivalent to 7 cents per minute to ensure your safety & ours.