Back to ‘hairapy.’ Gulfport salon reopens with new precautions after COVID-19 closure.
Brushes salon in Gulfport was full of smiles on its second day of business since shutting down for the new coronavirus pandemic — although you couldn’t see them through the masks covering everyone’s faces.
It’s been a busy week for owner Erin Glisson, who said she didn’t learn about hair salons being able to reopen from the governor’s announcement Friday, but instead by the constant buzz of calls and text messages on her phone.
“The phone blew up,” Glisson said. “We had text messages and calls once the governor announced we could open back up. It was constantly clients asking when they could set an appointment.”
Opening back up came with a list of rules and restrictions, something Glisson planned for as much as she could when she voluntarily closed her shop early in March. She decided to close before salons were required to shut down, when she saw how the coronavirus was impacting Mississippians.
“It thought it was the right choice,” Glisson said. “We had to do our part not to spread COVID. We weren’t prepped with masks or anything at that point. I assumed It’d be 2-3 weeks, not eight weeks.”
Glisson deep-cleaned the salon and put in orders for masks, wipes, hand sanitizer and other supplies that were put to use as soon as the salon reopened Monday.
Now, when clients arrive for appointments, they have to wait for a stylist or nail tech to let them know when to come in. They then use hand sanitizer, sign a waiver, and have their temperature taken before sitting down. Each station is sanitized between customers, stylists wipe down chairs, and they and use a new cape for each person.
Both the stylist and the customer wear masks.
Customer Donna Parks couldn’t be happier when she came in for a haircut with stylist Kirsten Pantermoller.
“My daughter and I love this salon and the people here,” Parks said. “We would call every so often to see when they may open back up. I am so happy they’re back open.”
Pantermoller said her clients have been supportive during the shutdown.
“Clients would call and ask to go ahead and pay for appointments to help me out while we were closed,” Pantermoller said. “It brought me to tears.”
Glisson worked on Tara Martin’s hair for most of Tuesday morning, finishing the Biloxi native’s transition from platinum blonde to a shimmering copper color. She’s been coming to Brushes for over a year.
“Erin does such a stellar job, I wasn’t nervous at all,” she said. “I wanted a change. I was ecstatic when I heard they were opening back up. I wanted to be back in here ASAP.”
“For clients, it’s so much more than getting your roots done. Everyone is in a funk right now,” Glisson said. “Just getting their hair done, having their ‘hairapy,’ that’s what they missed. I know it’s not been easy for them either.”
Getting back into her element is something Glisson looked forward to after two months of a “roller coaster” emotions while staying home. It wasn’t only an impact financially but mentally as well. She said coming back to work was like “coming home.”
“We really love what we do, and it’s what keeps us thriving mentally. All of a sudden it came to a complete stop,” Glisson said. “I didn’t get to do this for eight weeks. That’s the longest in my entire career I went without doing hair. That’s longer than after I had my children.”
Glisson is happy to be back, but she’s also happy to have the precautions in place to protect her stylists and her clients.
“I take COVID seriously, it’s a way bigger thing than getting your hair done,” she said. “But I am happy that my girls are making a living again, provide for my family and just make people feel good again.”