Business Owners Ask First Customers To 'Be Patient' As Reopening Begins
BOSTON (CBS) -- It's been a painstaking few months but Marc Harris said he's glad he will finally be able to reopen his 3,500 square-foot hair salon on Newbury Street next week.
"There are a lot of people involved and a lot of clients and everyone is going to be very, very excited about this," Harris said.
Salons are part of phase one of the state's reopening game plan. While some businesses are able to open Monday, salons along with other personal services like pet grooming shops and car washes can open on May 25.
It gives Harris a week to finalize all safety guidelines and protocols.
"Everyone knows we are wearing masks, we may be wearing some covering, we're going to have hand stations," he said. "You need to put this in place properly."
Dawn Chin owns D'Tails Pet Boutique in South End. She set to reopen her grooming area on Monday and already has 30 dogs on the waitlist.
"The minute that Governor Baker announced that we could open next week our phones have been ringing off the hook," Chin said.
These owners say there's a lot of anxiety and pressure in reopening and asking everyone to be understanding.
"A lot of nervousness of course. How we open is also going to be a critical factor in terms of our ability to be successful," Harris said.
"Please be patient," said Chin. "I understand everybody wants their dog groomed on Monday but we can't do that. We want to manage their expectations."