SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Businesses continue to reopen their doors as California moves further into stage three of its coronavirus reopening plan. Still, businesses that have been allowed to reopen are coping with the changes they’ve had to make.
Barber Blues has a location in Sacramento and another location in Roseville. The small business is grateful to be serving customers again but they’re still figuring out how to navigate on their road to reopening.
"2010 was the inception of Barber Blues. We were in the middle of a recession at the time,” owner Jason Iverson said.
Barber Blues not only survived that recession, it thrived. Now, 10 years after making it through that, the pandemic temporarily closed its doors.
“As a business owner it was traumatic, you know. I'm responsible for the livelihood of 17 other staff members,” Iverson said reflecting on the months his business was shut down.
Iverson said it was tough finding and getting resources to help the business while it wasn’t able to generate an income.
Now they are back in business, but it’s not exactly business as usual yet. Though they have a backlog of appointments, guidelines from the state mean more space between chairs, and more time needed between appointments for the extra sanitation now required.
“We’re doing fewer services in a day,” Iverson said. “Because of the face coverings, we’re not allowed to do beard trims. We’re not allowed to do shaves.”
Iverson also says the guidelines have added another challenge.
“All the supplies that we need to maintain our sanitation procedures,” he said, “They're hard to get and the prices have gone up exponentially.”
Still, Iverson says his business will continue to get through these new challenges thanks to planning ahead done before they shut down and of course loyal customers.
“Emails, people, reaching out, showing concern,” Iverson said, “I can’t speak more highly of the community.”
As Barber Blues continues on its path to reopening, nail salons and tattoo parlors wait to start the process. The governor says those can’t reopen any sooner the June 19.
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