HOUSTON – Nick Howard, owner of Barber to the Stars barbershop, has been forced to shut down the business due to the coronavirus.
"We've never seen anything like this; this is unprecedented," Howard said.
Harris County designated barbershops, nail salons, and other personal service businesses as non-essential businesses this week, ordering them all to close to encourage social distancing.
Located in west Houston, Barber to the Stars has been closed for almost a week, Howard said. He believes many more days are likely to come.
"You're talking about thousands of dollars to zero. And that's hard to adjust to," Howard said.
With the rent due soon and no customers walking through the doors, Howard said he is worried about the long term impact of his business and the community as a whole. He said the health crisis might ultimately result in several businesses closing for good.
“I hate to say it but, they’re going to be a lot (of businesses) that will close,” Howard said.