It has been over a week since the province of Ontario entered into Step Two of the provinces Roadmap to Reopen plan and a sense of normalcy came with it.
Step Two focuses on the continuation of more outdoor activities and limited indoor services with a small number of people where face coverings are worn.
One of the biggest changes to Step Two was the opening of personal care services to 25 per cent capacity. This allowed patrons to finally get their pandemic “look” taken care of at a hair salon, beauty salon, and other services that people haven’t been able to experience in months.
Mitch Plamondon and Yen Din owners of The Beauty Cabin, a beauty salon, and spa, were one of many personal care services to open up last week.
“Everybody is ecstatic they are sort of getting back to the routine everyone is very excited and I think the nicest thing is that interaction again, like being able to see your clients who have become you more than just a client, but a friend, so I think the staff and the clients are very happy to be back in touch again,” said Plamondon
Even though it's only been a week Plamondon noted that business has gone back to normal as soon as they were allowed to open.
Just like most businesses had to do, Plamondon and his wife had to switch gears and cater to the online shopping world. To help offset costs The Beauty Cabin manufactured custom press-on-nails for their clients, as face-to-face services were prohibited through the pandemic.
The product was such a success, Plamondon has considered continuing with the product in the store and through their online business as well.
All COVID-19 protocols are being followed as clients are asked a COVID screening questionnaire upon arrival, sign-in, and sign-out sheet, face masks are worn at all times, and social distancing. Face care services are not allowed at this time due to the client having to remove their mask and appointments are needed.
Kari Mounk, the owner of Halo Hair Studio, will be the first to tell you the blessing of being able to open her studio.
“It feels good you miss the day-to-day routine and in what you do and going to work really affects people and let alone clients who are out of their routine who have missed coming in. It's super nice to see everybody kind of smiling under their masks, but you can see underneath they're happy, it's really nice to see everybody again for sure,” said Mounk
“We're making people feel better, when you look better you feel better, but you don't realize just how much something small like getting your hair done really does for humans in general, and especially any kind of mental health. It really makes a difference from being able to come in and sit and get pampered for a little while,” added Mounk
Mounk deified public health orders and opened her doors in early June due to the fact she had no other choice after the impact the COVID-19 pandemic had on her business.
Mounk did add that luckily enough all her staff were able to return upon re-opening of the studio.
Business has been so good that the salon is completely booked for months with appointments as walk-ins are not allowed, as per the rules of Step Two.
Clients can expect to sign in before entering the building, sanitization, masks are mandatory, and to be able to follow social distancing rules some renovations were done to accommodate the six-foot distance.
Even though the province has surpassed numbers to already move into Step Three of the Roadmap, the province will be in Step Two for approximately 21 days to allow the vaccines to reach their full effectiveness and to evaluate any impacts of moving into Step Two on key public health and health care indicators. When it's been determined to be safe, the province will promptly move into Step Three of the Roadmap to Reopen.