6 DTLA MAKEOVER: NAIL SALONS by Colleen Glennon
VOL 14 NO 5 - SEPTEMBER 17TH - SEPTEMBER 23RD / DTLAWEEKLY.COM
ARE NAIL SALONS GETTING
FAIR TREATMENT DURING COVID 19?
As businesses reopen under California’s new Covid-19 color-coded plan, Los Angeles hair salons and barber shops have opened their doors. Nail salons, however, are ordered to remain shut. Six months into the pandemic,
Los Angeles makes its second attempt at reopening businesses under California’s new Covid-19 color-coded plan. Barber shops, hair salons, as well as a variety of other businesses are allowed to conduct business indoors up to a 25% capacity. Excluded from this list are nail salons who must continue to operate outside. That isn’t so easy for salons located in the heart of downtown Los Angeles. Due to a rise in homelessness, lack of space, and record-breaking heat waves, operating outside is nearly impossible, leaving many nail salons completely shut down since the middle of March. Governor Newsom has been candid about his concern for nail salons being high-risk businesses. He has cited nail salons being the source for California’s initial Covid-19 outbreak and health officials have likened the risk of nail salons to that of gyms. Yet no specific information has been released to prove nail salons are high risk, leaving salon owners and customers alike frustrated and confused. This frustration has grown as California salon owners watch nearly every other state in the U.S. allow their nail salons to open.
polished salon pre-covid
Nancy Nguyen, owner of Polished Salon, EARLY September hair salons and barlike many others have been vocal about bershops were given notice they could their growing frustrations. reopen immediately at 25% occupancy for indoor services as long as they have infec“I don’t get it,” she says. “To tion control safeguards in place and comwatch the media and hope to ply with the County’s Health Officer Order hear news of any type of (HOO) Reopening Protocols for Hair Salons opening would be hopeful but and Barbershops, which require physical the city and county couldn’t distancing and face coverings for both emreally give any information ployees and customers. As permitted by on when. Now as they finally the state, hair salons and barbershops are reopen hair salons (and) bar- encouraged to maintain as many operaber shops at 25% but not oth- tions outdoors as possible. CONT on page 14
er beauty businesses. …it’s just crazy.”
GOOD NEWS FOR HAIR SALONS LOS ANGELES COUNTY ANNOUNCED THEY WERE MOVING FORWARD WITH NEW PLANS FOR REOPENING HAIR SALONS BUT NOT NAIL SALONS
shown here: Neihule Salons
