North Shore addresses Cuomo’s salon closures

Governor Cuomo issued a directive via Twitter Friday morning ordering all barber shops, nail and hair salons, and tattoo parlors to close, effective March 21 at 8 p.m.

The governor tweeted the directive at 8:48 a.m., stating, "These temporary closures are not going to be easy, but they are necessary to protect the public health."

"What we do next will have a massive impact on the trajectory of this virus in New York," the governor had tweeted earlier in the week. "We can only maintain public health by staying apart. The decision each of us makes now will impact us all tomorrow. Stay home."

Salon Solis in Sea Cliff has been completely booked all week, owner Graciela Bustos said. She said she and her team knew these closures were likely going to happen, and she spent much of last week at a salon business seminar in California planning for them. There, she said she worked with other salon owners from across the country on what they could do to stay afloat if these closures were to come to fruition and how to take a day by day approach to their adjusting business models.

Although she and her four employees will not be able to offer their usual services of hair care, massage and Reiki, Bustos said they plan on delivering hair products to clients who order them over the phone or social media. Additionally, she said clients who have frequently had their hair colored at Salon Solis can have their unique color made in the salon and delivered to their homes

“I know [the closures are] for everybody, but I’m very positive about this,” Bustos said. “I know we have to be here for each other and work together, and what’s good for my client is what’s good for me.”

Once Salon Solis opens its doors again, Bustos said it will offer money-saving specials to clients, as she understands that many people will have difficult financial situations moving forward.

Alex Murdakhayev, owner of Johnny’s Barber Shop in Oyster Bay said he was shocked by the governor’s order. He had not been busy lately, he said, probably due to the coronavirus. Murdakhayev said people have been scared to come by. But on Friday everyone seemed to want a haircut.

“They come wearing a mask and don’t want to have their hair washed,” he said. “They also ask if I sterilize my instruments.”

Although it will not be easy closing his shop, Murdakhayev said it’s the right thing to do. “People need to be protected,” he said, “so they won’t get infected.”

Help may be provided for small businesses, he reasoned. “If they give me money and I don’t have to return it I will be o.k.,” he said.

Destiny K, an assistant at Sherry’s Hair Salon in Glen Cove who asked the Herald Gazette not to use her full name, said that the team would look into getting compensation during this time. 

“We can’t make our money,” she said. “So, we really can’t pay our bills right now.”

The hair stylists that work at Bay Beauty, in Bayville, are independent contractors. One employee, who would not give her name, said she is worried. “If we don’t have clients we don’t make income,” she said. “No business insurance will cover this because you need to have a storm or a fire to get coverage.” 

Cindy Chiarella, owner of the Twin Moons Creations tattoo parlor in Glen Head, said she was prepared for Cuomo’s announcement, given his recent string of closure rulings. She said the situation is an unfortunate one but she expects to come out of it with her business as strong as ever.

“It’s going be tough,” Chiarella said, “but if you’re proactive in a lot of things, you’re ready for stuff like this, as much as you can be.”

At the very least, Chiarella said, the coronavirus pandemic has not yet had as negative an effect on Long Island as Hurricane Sandy did in 2012. Then, people were without food and electricity, she said, whereas now they are able to be in their homes with their essential needs intact

“We’re shut down like everybody else,” she added, “but there are people in much worse shape than we are and I feel bad for them.”

Chiarella said that she and her four employees will likely keep busy by continuing making art at home. However, she said it would be selfish to think that people would want to pay for artwork at a time like this. Instead, she said people should focus on helping each other as best as possible and to act when they see a neighbor in need.

Later that morning, Nassau County Executive Laura Curran wrote on Twitter that the U.S. Small Business Administration had declared Nassau County a danger zone, meaning that the SBA would offer low-interest loans for small businesses impacted by the pandemic. 

The Family First Coronavirus Response Act, which was signed into law by President Donald Trump on March 18, is also aiding Americans directly affected by the pandemic by providing paid sick leave and unemployment benefits, along with other relief plans. 

Lisa Cohn, president of the Glen Cove Chamber of Commerce, said she is worried that the loans from the SBA may be too much paperwork and she is worried for the businesses that may not be computer savvy to access the information needed. She said she believes that one way to go is to pause rent payment.

“It is what it is,” Bustos said. “We have to accept, respect and appreciate everything that we have, now more than ever.”

"What we do next will have a massive impact on the trajectory of this virus in New York," the governor had tweeted earlier in the week. "We can only maintain public health by staying apart. The decision each of us makes now will impact us all tomorrow. Stay home."