BY MARENA SEVER
Eudora hair stylists are already planning for the day their salons can reopen after the state’s stay-at-home order ends.
Jacque’s Place owner Jacque Durr said she has given much thought to the precautions she will take when her salon reopens, including extra precautions for clients who are elderly, immunocompromised or have other health concerns.
“There will be definitely some ladies and gentlemen that I would not be able to take until they felt no longer compromised due to their own health,” she said.
Durr plans to only allow one client at a time per person and to wear a mask and gloves, in addition to continuing to sanitize between clients. Durr also works with another hair stylist and a nail technician.
Durr recognizes it will be more difficult to give haircuts with gloves on but said she will have to get used to it.
“I would rather be on the safe side,” she said. “That’s just something you’ve got to learn now, to work around that.”
Durr said she would also ask her clients to wear masks “just to be on the safe side,” whether it be one of the cloth masks her nail technician made or one they bring themselves.
Durr typically works Tuesday through Friday but said she will likely begin working Monday through Saturday so she can more easily get through the list of 75 to 100 waiting clients.
“I would say it’s going to take at least a couple of months, because that’s what it’s already been,” she said. “It’ll take a while, but I would definitely increase my days of work to help get this through.”
While she is eager to reopen, Durr said she feels fortunate her family is still managing financially.
For those considering giving themselves a haircut during quarantine, Durr’s advice is simply to wait.
“I hate to say just be patient, but I would hate to try and tell somebody how to do a haircut,” she said. “But if they feel like they absolutely had to do it and it’s messed up, give me a call and we’ll do whatever we can to get you in to get something fixed as soon as this is lifted.”
Blue Riot Hair Studio owner Cassandra Scott said she’s been “going stir crazy quite a bit,” but has kept busy with her two children. With her free time, Scott said she’s been taking advantage of free online education and tutorials many companies and stylists have been producing for professionals like her.
“I’m just sitting here like everybody else,” she said. “Just waiting until I can get my hands back into the hair.”
To handle the post-lockdown rush, Scott is keeping a list of people she will contact to get back on her schedule when the stay-at-home order ends. Like Durr, Scott said many of her regulars are older and could remain on lockdown longer.
Scott said she doesn’t have a strict system for fitting clients in once she reopens, but she will prioritize her regulars and take additional appointments from there.
Neither Durr nor Scott said they have considered going into other people’s homes to cut their hair during this time, not wanting to risk the health of themselves or others. Neither are emphasizing gift cards since they would shift later income.
Scott said there has been a little financial struggle, but her landlords have been willing to work with her through this time. She also said she is applying for unemployment benefits while she is out of work.
Kansas’ stay-at-home order was recently extended until May 3, but Durr said the Eudora community has been "absolutely phenomenal” since the beginning and continues to be supportive.
“They will help support 150% once this is all over,” she said. “Eudora will be back up and running in no time because they are just a fantastic community.”
Reach reporter Marena Sever at eudoratimes@gmail.com.
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