Salon owners irritated they can't reopen like other NC businesses

A Godwin hair salon owner is making the argument that she and her staff can safely reopen immediately. Amy Davis owns Amy's Place Hair and Nail Salon. She shut her salon down as part of the state's stay-at-home order, but after more than a month of no business she is ready to reopen.

Posted 6:00 p.m. May 6, 2020 — Updated 12:50 a.m. May 7, 2020

Keely Arthur

, WRAL reporter

RALEIGH, N.C. — Salon owners are upset that they have to remain closed for at least two more weeks under North Carolina's stay-at-home order during the coronavirus pandemic.

Gov. Roy Cooper said Tuesday that some businesses could reopen under certain conditions as early as Friday evening as he begins to relax the stay-at-home order rules. But salons and other personal care businesses aren't in that group and cannot open until the state moves into the second stage of the state's three-phase plan.

"I don’t really think it’s fair," said Shawn Kekel, owner of Von Kekel Salon and Spa in Raleigh. "It’s holding us back from what we love to do. It is holding back our staff from their livelihood. It is impacting our business on a day-to-day basis."

Kekel said his salon, in business for 22 years, has been closed since March 23, and he is prepared to reopen safely – now.

"I feel confident that, if someone comes into our space, they’ll feel safe," he said. "The guests will be asked to wear masks. The staff will have a mask, as well as one of the plastic face shields. The front desk will be behind plexiglass."

Amy Davis, owner of Amy’s Place Hair and Nail Salon in Godwin, took to her professional Facebook page to air her frustrations about the stay-at-home rules and share how she could get back to work while protecting her clients.

"My fellow workers can wear masks; clients can wear masks. We are more than capable and have been trained properly," Davis wrote.

"I cannot understand why we cannot operate. Do they think we don’t understand?" Davis asked Wednesday. "We have been trained professionally to be able to handle infectious diseases. That’s what we are trained for; that’s the whole point of getting a cosmetology license."

The second phase of the state's reopening plan wouldn't go into effect until at least May 22, Cooper said. It could be delayed if data shows coronavirus infections and hospitalizations going up during the limited phase one reopening, he added.

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