Hair Salons Adjust to Reopening Businesses

Marshfield, WI (OnFocus) Hair salons are adjusting to reopening their businesses after the end of the Safer at Home order, while keeping clients safe.

Hair salons were ordered closed beginning March 20 by Gov. Evers as part of restrictions on gatherings due to COVID-19. Closures were continued through the Safer at Home order, which was struck down on May 13 by the Wisconsin Supreme Court.

“Life is finally feeling more normal and it’s an amazing feeling!” Kristen Niehaus, owner of Split Ends Hair Salon in Marshfield.

Her list of clients eager to return for professional hair care grew since the beginning of the shutdown. Before she could pick up a pair of shears again, however, Niehaus needed to do lots of research to decide best practices for reopening and prepare for a flood of appointments.

“As a state licensed hair salon, I already have very high standards for keeping everyone and everything clean and safe. And since I’m the only stylist in the salon it was actually fairly easy to create a ‘safer’ environment for everyone,” she said. “I’m only taking one client at a time to keep the amount of people to a minimum. It’s not ideal since I could get twice the amount of clients in normally, which makes for a very busy and long week. But it also gives me a chance to catch my breath or grab a quick snack.”

[Related: Salons Adjust to State Closure Order]

Niehaus moved a chair outside the salon into the entryway of the building for clients to wait until their appointment. Other precautions she’s taken include removing magazines, the candy bowl, and pens which multiple people would touch.

“The salon is thoroughly cleaned and disinfected after every client, which is something hair stylists do anyway. Clients may wear a masks if they chose and if they request me to wear one, I’ll do my best,” said Niehaus, who being claustrophobic finds it challenging to wear masks.

The wearing of masks present a difficulty while cutting and coloring hair, but it’s an adjustment Niehaus said she is figuring out.

“But for the most part 99 percent of my clients have felt very safe and comfortable and honestly, just ready to get back to life,” she said. “The other 1 percent just aren’t quite ready to venture out yet and that’s completely okay with me. We stay in contact and work on finding a new appointment time for when they’re ready.”