Phase two of North Carolina’s recovery begins Friday at 5 p.m.
May 21, 2020 at 9:18 PM EDT – Updated May 21 at 9:18 PM
WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) – Hair clippers will be switched on this weekend at barbershops all over North Carolina.
The state enters phase two of Governor Roy Cooper’s plan to reopen North Carolina Friday at 5 p.m.
Queen Street Barbershop in Wilmington will reopen Saturday at 9 a.m. Barbers started making appointments Wednesday morning and owner Hayden Mingus and his employees have already made more than 100.
“That’s honestly the hardest thing. It’s nice that we get to reopen and that we can get back to making money, but it’s going to be extremely hectic because there are so many variables going on,” said Mingus. “We’re finally going to open, to get back to normal after two and a half months of not doing anything involved with hair cutting or customer service. It’s going to be really hard to differentiate between customers and people trying to walk-in the shop, on top of abiding by health guidelines.”
Those guidelines include social distancing, sanitizing work spaces, and requiring all employees to wear masks.
“Everyone will be wearing masks and sanitizing their hands, clippers, chairs, everything. We’ll have someone by the door to make sure you have an appointment and you’re not just walking in,” Mingus said.
Customers who have appointments will be the only people let inside. The shop is also spacing out appointment times to keep the number of people inside to 10.
“We ask that you come in by yourself. No one sitting on the couch, no friends, no family members will be allowed in,” said Mingus. “Obviously if you’re sick or coughing, or been around someone who has, please don’t come in.”
Mingus is grateful that he is able to open up shop and get back to business.
“I’m really surprised that we are able to open as freely as we are. Even with the limitations we’re still so lucky to be able to open and cut as many people as we need to cut. There’s no restrictions on hours, clients or days that we’re open, so I’m relieved.”
Mingus admits he and his staff may have to knock off some rust, so he asks customers to be patient as they get back into the flow of cutting hair.
“We all have been out of this for a very long time and it’s going to be hard to snap our fingers and get back to where we were, whether it’s skill or time management,” Mingus said.
To see what appointments are available, click here.
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