Salon, gym owners wonder what's next after Florida's plan to reopen left them out
SARASOTA, Fla. - While some Florida businesses are preparing to reopen Monday as part of phase one of Governor Ron DeSantis’ Reopen Florida Task Force’s plan, others have been left in the dark.
Salons and gyms are just two types of businesses that don't know when they'll be getting back to work.
Wendy Rojas at Chica Boom Fitness Sarasota thought they'd be able to reopen with a new model of doing business, but for now, they've been told their doors must remain closed. Rojas wonders if and when he business will continue on.
“That uncertainty is very difficult to deal with because we don’t know,” she said.
She put down tape on the floor to measure six feet, planning to welcome a limited number of clients to social distance during workouts.
INFO: Frequently asked questions about phase one of the plan to reopen Florida
A plan for sanitization is in place, but for now, her workouts remain online and her brick and mortar business remains empty.
“It was very frustrating, I was very upset. It’s very hard to be grouped with giant fitness corporations that do have the monetary backing to stay closed,” Rojas said. “It’s very very hard because we need to stay afloat.”
Floridians figure out next steps under governor’s order
The governor is taking a three-step approach to re-opening the state. The first step starts on Monday, described as baby steps. Doctors and clinics will re-open for elective procedures and restaurants and stores will re-open with reduced capacity.
It’s a sentiment echoed by salon owners.
At Head-Hunters Salon and Spa in Englewood, owner Marie Bronson has been selling products, but is eager to welcome customers back inside. She expected to be reopening within days, but the governor’s plan thwarted her plans, too.
“We put partitions up at every station, we have hand sanitizers up everywhere. We are ordering plastic capes so they are disposable and we can use each one,” Bronson said. “Our clients can wear masks, they can hold it up to their ears if they’re going around their face. We don’t have to blow dry hair so we don’t have to worry about blowing germs around.”
Partitions separate chairs at a salon in Sarasota
She's been in business for nine years. A year and a half ago she and her husband built a brand-new salon. It was her dream. Now she is concerned about losing it.
“We put our house up as collateral, so it’s a very scary time because you stand to lose everything as an owner,” Rojas said.
For now, these owners continue to think outside the box and try to come up with new ways to keep revenue coming in.
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LINK: Florida's COVID-19 website
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