FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. – Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer lifted the state’s stay-at-home order and cleared the way for many businesses to resume operations, but hair and nail salons are not reopening.
A Metro Detroit salon owner told Local 4 she’s equally afraid of the coronavirus (COVID-19) and staying closed so long she loses her livelihood.
READ: Michigan salon owners ‘disrespected’ by Whitmer telling people to ‘Google how to do a haircut’
It’s an emotional time for small business owners such as Julie Cotton, of Salon Enigma in Farmington Hills.
Some businesses are now racing to reopen. Others feel it’s still too soon. Cotton’s business is among those that haven’t been given the green light.
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She said she’s had emotional conversations with her 10-year-old daughter about why she isn’t working.
Cotton said COVID-19 doesn’t care about her business, so she’s equally terrified of reopening and not reopening. But she has developed her own best practices list to get ready to get back to work.
Cotton wants Whitmer to hear her and see what she’s willing to do to make sure her business can run without spreading the coronavirus.
“I am going to be in a face mask, a shield -- as safe as humanly possible,” Cotton said.
Clients will be asked to wait in their cars for appointments, she said.
Cotton said she’s willing to go to war against the virus to keep it at bay and keep her business alive.