HOUSTON – At the stroke of midnight, Neri Hair Salon in Pearland will welcome back its first customers in weeks.
“You know we’re excited," said owner Luke Neri. "We’re excited to get to work. We’re just tired of sitting at home and clients and staff. They’re all in so we’re like let’s do it.”
Like other hair salons across Texas, they have been closed by Gov. Abbott’s order amid coronavirus concerns. As the state continues to re-open businesses in phases, hair salons and barbershops are on the list to get back to work on Friday.
“I understand the safety part of this, but I never thought it would last this long," Neri said. "And it would have such a huge effect on the economy.”
Shop owners are taking extra precautions to keep employees and customers safe.
“We’re going to minimize the traffic flow by everybody setting appointments," said Darrick Brown, the owner of 32 Degreez Barbershop. “We’re going to do one client per barber.”
Brown said he has gone over safety and health guidelines with staff to prepare. He said his employees are also eager to get back to work on clients, who have been reaching out.
”They’ve sent me pictures and I’m like, 'Man." I said, ‘Yeah we’re going to open up soon. I’m going to be able to take care of you guys’,” he said.
Although it’ll be a late night for Neri and his staff, he said they are happy to be doing hair again.
“It’s going to be a good time," he said. “We’re going to have the music pumping up at midnight. We’re going to be rocking out some hair. It’s going to be a good time.”