MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WBTW)- While concerns over COVID-19 are causing some businesses to close their doors, some hair salons are fighting to stay open.
Selena Watts is seeing more empty chairs as she’s already at a 70 percent cancellation rate due to COVID-19 concerns.
“A 70 percent loss is very rapidly showing itself let’s say that,” said Selena Watts, a hairdresser at Sola Salon Studios in Myrtle Beach.
The CDC recommends that people keep a distance of six feet from others to avoid spreading or catching the virus which isn’t feasible cutting hair, but watts said hair salons are already clean and stylist sanitize and disinfect everything.
As a precaution, she’s reaching out to every client and asking if they are feeling sick, their recent travel history, and if they’ve been around anyone that could be infected with coronavirus.
“Every single one of my friends is a small business owner and we’re all impacted. We’re not even half way through our work week and we’re like what are we going to do,” said Watts.
Governor McMaster requested the SBA make loans available for small businesses in South Carolina suffering due to COVID-19. Watts said she’s tried to prepare for any disaster and has never applied for a small business loan, but will now.
“Everyday we just constantly evaluate as we get more information from DHEC, the CDC, our president and governor. We’re just listening processing and evaluating every 24 hours,” said Watts.
Watts said she’ll try to keep the doors open until the governor says not to.
“People want to come here and laugh and have some self care and some sense of community and really an outreach of a family is how we feel about our clients and we want to be there for them,” said Watts.
While several states across the country have ordered nail and hair salons to close their doors, at this point South Carolina has not.
