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Hair salons and barbershops reopen carefully in phase two

Monika Crane cuts Gary Smarcz's hair at Supercuts in Penfield after barbershops and salons were allowed to open back up as the Finger Lakes region enters the second phase of reopening. Smarcz, a regular at the shop, hadn't had his hair cut since New York on Pause went into effect in early March.
Max Schulte
/
WXXI News
Monika Crane cuts Gary Smarcz's hair at Supercuts in Penfield after barbershops and salons were allowed to open back up as the Finger Lakes region enters the second phase of reopening. Smarcz, a regular at the shop, hadn't had his hair cut since New York on Pause went into effect in early March.
Monika Crane cuts Gary Smarcz's hair at Supercuts in Penfield after barbershops and salons were allowed to open back up as the Finger Lakes region enters the second phase of reopening. Smarcz, a regular at the shop, hadn't had his hair cut since New York on Pause went into effect in early March.
Credit Max Shulte / WXXI News
/
WXXI News
Monika Crane cuts Gary Smarcz's hair at Supercuts in Penfield after barbershops and salons were allowed to open back up as the Finger Lakes region enters the second phase of reopening. Smarcz, a regular at the shop, hadn't had his hair cut since New York on Pause went into effect in early March.

There’s a long list of rules for people who want their hair cut these days.

Nanette Dickerson, a store manager at Supercuts in Penfield, informs clients of the laundry list of do's and don'ts as they call to make appointments: Be on time, wait in your car until you are called in, wear a face mask at all times, have your hair washed and detangled, be advised your temperature will be taken, and on and on.

Across the state, hair salons and barbershops are reopening. WXXI’s Veronica Volk has this story.

Owner Tony Cortina says, "I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t stressful."

Over the last few weeks, Cortina says he’s been working with his staff and preparing for this reopening, which was announced as part of New York state’s phase two reopening plan last week.

He owns 16 Supercuts, but is opening only 12. He’s also reducing store hours and making sure clients are seen by appointment only so his staff isn't overworked.

He says that between the new regulations, the personal protective equipment, the disinfecting, and all the other adjustments, there’s a lot of pressure on his employees.

"Nobody really likes change right out of the gate," Cortina says. "I think there might have been some apprehension, but for the most part, our staff has just been great."

Cortina says they’re happy to have their clients back and feels ready to serve them. He says he hasn’t gotten a haircut himself in almost three months.

"I look ridiculous," he says. "I’m actually going to get my haircut today."

Copyright 2020 WXXI News

Veronica Volk is the Great Lakes Reporter/Producer for WXXI News, exploring environmental and economic issues, water, and wildlife throughout the region for radio, television, and the web.
Veronica Volk
Veronica Volk is a Reporter/Producer for WXXI News. She comes from WFUV Public Radio, where she began her broadcasting career as a reporter covering the Bronx, and the greater New York City area. She later became the Senior Producer of WFUV’s weekly public affairs show, Cityscape. Originally from Ocean County, New Jersey, Veronica got her B.A. in Communication and Media Studies at Fordham University, concentrating on Media, Culture, and Society.