‘It’s such a relief’: Salons, barber shops reopen after nearly 2-month closure

Personal care services such as salons and barbershops finally are able to reopen after state public health officials Monday lifted all of the California’s regional stay-at-home orders.

There was renewed energy  inside local salons and barbershops as many of them return to work for the first time since early December.

News Channel 3’s Dani Romero shows us how this most recent opening isn’t the cure all that small businesses really need.  

“Ugh," said Brien O'Brien. "It’s such a relief to finally be open again.” 

Say goodbye to our quarantine hair.

“We just want to work and our clients just want to have their hair done," said O'Brien.

Brien O’Brien Salon is Palm Springs is one of many personal care services across the Coachella Valley that was finally able to open its doors once again after being shutdown for nearly seven weeks.

“I didn’t expect us to be reopening right away," said O'Brien. "I predicted we be another three to six weeks at least.” 

But maybe it was just in the nick of time. 

“Right before I got more assistance my savings was basically drawn to zero and I was sure what i was going to do for the next month," said O'Brien.

Customers also anxious to get back in the chair. 

“I couldn’t wait to get in here the minute the order was lifted I was messaging Brien immediately to find out how quickly I could get in here," said Cheryl Ideell, a customer.

Luckily O’Brien is booked up with appointments for the next few week but there’s still a sense of uncertainty as to what’s to come for small businesses

“Its just a drop in the bucket compare to what we really need to survive," said O'Brien.

Reasons why Palm Springs city council is discussing a $1 million COVID-19 small business assistance program at their meeting Thursday evening.

But is it too late? 

“This is a tough situation for everyone everything is too late in this pandemic its the enormity of it so what we're trying to focus on is the things that we actually can do," said David Ready.

David Ready, city manager of Palm Springs, told News Channel 3 details of the program are still being worked on. 

“One of the recommendations are that it would be a $10,000 forgivable grant to those businesses that don’t qualify state and federal," said Ready.

Another item on the council’s agenda. 

“Another what we are going to do is obviously extend their business license so that’ll be those kind of fees they wouldn’t have to pay again obviously for the time they were closed," said Ready.

There’s no timeline as when the program will be available city council is set discuss more at Thursday meeting.

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