Thursday March 28th, 2024 2:33PM

Local businesses in limbo on reopening amid COVID-19 pandemic

By Lauren Hunter Multimedia Journalist

Governor Brian Kemp announced earlier this week that some Georgia businesses, including gyms, fitness centers and hair salons, could reopen as early as Friday. But many Gainesville business owners are divided on whether they will choose to do so yet.

Emilie Cook, owner of Find Your Center yoga studio in Gainesville, said she is not even considering reopening her studio until May 4th at the earliest. And even at that point, Cook said her classes will be limited in size and shorter.

Cook said her decision comes from her concern for her family, her fellow instructors and those who take her yoga classes.

“This situation is rapidly evolving…I’m just not sure that it’s worth it,” said Cook. “Georgia hasn’t met the requirements for Phase One, our numbers haven’t been going down for two weeks and I can’t feasibly keep people apart in my studio.”

Instead, Cook will continue to offer virtual classes on Zoom for her students that want to stay active. Those interested in joining a class just need to message her ahead of time.

Despite her decision to remain closed, Cook said her clients have encouraged her to do what she feels is right.

“All my clients were so understanding and so supportive and really encouraged me to give [the virtual classes] a shot and to keep trying,” said Cook.

Other business owners like Vicki Truett, owner of Salon V in Gainesville, are taking the opportunity to reopen. Truett said Salon V will reopen on Monday, April 27th but she and her stylists will follow strict sanitary guidelines.

“We’re taking extreme measures to sanitize,” said Truett. “Then we’re also going to adhere to the ten people max, six feet apart rule.”

Truett said the salon is keeping distance between clients by spreading the dryer chairs out in the space that normally serves as the waiting area, requiring clients to wait in their car before entering the salon and keeping at least one salon chair between each client.

Salon V, like many other salons in the state, will also have to adhere to strict sanitary guidelines released by the Georgia State Board of Cosmetology and Barbers this week. These guidelines include temperature checks of employees and clients, screening questions and use of Personal Protective Equipment.

It is no surprise that the businesses that are opening soon are choosing to do so. Recent numbers from the State Labor Department show that the unemployment rate in Gainesville rose to 3.4 percent in March, compared to 3 percent at the same time last year.

The same data shows that the number of employed Gainesville residents decreased by 1,576 during the month of March.

Many of those out of work include hairstylists. Truett said some of the stylists at Salon V are independent contractors, so she gave them the option to start working again if they felt comfortable.

Even as a twice-over cancer survivor and someone who falls into the “high risk” category, Truett said she is ready to reopen the salon and return to work.

 “In this country we’re very, very blessed to have certain freedoms that you can either exercise if you’re comfortable doing that, or you can give them up if you’re not comfortable doing that,” said Truett. “I think it’s a personal decision and I personally feel comfortable returning to work and allowing my stylists to do that.”

 

  • Associated Categories: Homepage, Local/State News
  • Associated Tags: gainesville, Governor Brian Kemp, COVID-19, local businesses, Salon V, Find Your Center
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