Apex salon paid employees through closure, now thrilled to be back open
Young businesses are particularly threatened by the pandemic because they don’t necessarily have the savings to carry them through.
Maeve Salon opened just two months before being forced to close, but the owners say they are confident they will survive. Stylists are clipping and coloring hair again inside the salon after its chairs stayed empty for eight weeks.
“The past three months have been very stressful," said owner Brie Whalen.
Despite the closure, Whalen and co-owner Tiffany Weaver promised employees full compensation.
"We were ready to refinance our home to be able to pay our employees while we were closed," Weaver said. "It was that important to us."
The decision kept eight stylists on the books including Tristian Moorer, who is back to doing what she loves.
“I’m married with two kids so the whole thing was terrifying," Moorer said.
Luckily for the owners, they received an $80,000 PPP loan and a $10,000 grant from the Small Business Administration. They said the money is almost gone, and they're hoping close attention to safety will keep clients coming back.
Hand sanitizer and temperature checks at the door is the new normal, and clients are spaced seven feet apart.
“We are still very much trying to make up the revenue that we lost," Weaver said. "We are only working at 50 percent capacity right now so it’s obviously not what it used to be.”
Still, they’ve continued paying rent and bills on their new space — that will hopefully be successful for years to come.
“We’re just so thankful to be back open," Weaver said.
