‘It’s tough to stay closed.’ Gyms, salons across Columbus start to open doors during COVID-19

As the COVID-19 pandemic spread in Georgia, a March 20 emergency declaration from Mayor Skip Henderson closed gyms, indoor recreation, bars, dining rooms of restaurants and body care salons of all types within Columbus.

A similar order from Governor Brian Kemp followed on April 3, calling for a statewide shelter-in-place and closure of nonessential businesses.

Marsha Berry closed her Warm Spring Road salon, called Marsha’s Lavish Beauty Salon, under Henderson’s March 20 order.

“It was scary but with everything going on, I have to think about myself, my clients, and my mom, because I have a mom that’s sick, and she’s on dialysis,” Berry said.

She was shocked Monday when Kemp announced an amendment to the statewide order, allowing for the reopening of hair salons, nail salons, barber shops, spas, tattoo shops, bowling alleys and gyms Friday, April 24, as long as safety precautions and social distancing are practiced.

“It was still scary, and we all know it’s still too early, but then again, that’s why we go to school, that’s why we’re professional stylists,” Berry said. “We know about sanitation, disinfecting everything, we learn all that in school, so now is the time for us to put all that in action.”

Like many, Berry has had a hard time finding face masks and hand sanitizer, but has sourced some masks from her fiancé in Florida. As clients enter her one-woman salon one at a time, they are asked to wash their hands and then sanitize them, as well as wear a face mask, before they can be serviced.

She asks them if they have had any symptoms of coronavirus, uses a new cape for each client and sanitizes her work station between each appointment. It’s a lot of work, but Berry is confident in her ability to keep the salon from being a source of contagion.

“I work alone, I’m the only one here, so I feel much better that I can control everything,” Berry said. “And it’s a common sense thing, as a beauty salon this is stuff that you’ve got to do everyday anyway.”

She said she’s already had clients call to book appointments but change their minds, telling her it’s too soon for them to come in. And even though she too agreed it was too soon to open, a longtime client was in Berry’s chair around 11 a.m. Friday having her hair done.

“I understand from a business perspective that this is essential for business owners because this is how they feed their families,” the client said. “And I understand from a client perspective of us wanting to be safe, but I’ve been with Marsha for years and I knew that she would have us in a safe environment.”

‘Backup was over’

Berry’s salon is not the only business in Columbus that opened up Friday, nor the only body care facility starting back up after a month-long pause.

Southern Glam Salon and Boutique owner Candy Martin opened her Moon Road salon, and said so far her customers have all cooperated with guidelines, like waiting in the car until their designated appointment time.

She said the salon is following guidelines issued by the Georgia Board of Cosmetology and Barbers, which are more detailed than those in Kemp’s order. Her reason for reopening was due to the financial stress that having been forced to close has brought.

“I’ve been out of work for six weeks now and I’m a small business owner and could not survive, had maybe only one month of backup and that backup was over,” Martin said.

Also on Moon Road, Diamond Nails Salon and Spa had a soft reopening Friday, with a sign on the door asking customers not to bring in kids or companions, to check their temperature before coming in and to wait in their vehicles until their appointment time. The sign also states that customers will be given a kit containing a face mask, hand sanitizer and nail kit, with gloves available upon request.

Others remained closed: a sign on the door at Pamper Nail Bar on Whittlesey Boulevard tells customers they will reopen Friday, May 1.

Gyms adjust procedures

In addition to interest around salons, Columbus residents also seem eager to return to gyms, fitness centers and other indoor recreational facilities.

While local bowling alleys Bowlero and Stars and Strikes had not yet reopened for business before noon Friday, several gyms across the city have reopened with new sanitation measures in place.

A couple dozen cars were parked in the lot of Max Fitness Elite gym off Veterans Parkway around lunchtime Friday.

Manager Justin Fouse said the gym is following a long checklist of guidelines to keep patrons and employees safe.

Along with a top-to-bottom cleaning of the entire 28,000 square foot facility Thursday, the building was also professionally cleaned to help protect from COVID-19 spread. All equipment is wiped down every hour, and employees are required to wear masks while at work.

The group fitness room has markings on the floor to keep clients socially distanced, and every other cardio machine is shut down to provide adequate space for those exercising. The gym is also making use of a back lot to hold as many classes and bootcamps outdoors as possible.

On Tuesday of next week, the gym employees will start taking the temperature of patrons coming through the door.

Patrons are asked to wipe down equipment before and after use, and to not get on equipment right next to other people if possible.

Fouse said the locally-owned gym employs 50 people, and returning to work is not mandatory for employees who don’t feel safe doing so.

The possibility that more time under lockdown could mean the business would be closed for good pushed the gym to reopen, and a demand from customers made that possible.

“We’re a local business, we’re not a big chain,” Fouse said. “We haven’t received any of the financial aid for this specific location. So it’s tough to stay closed.”

The gym is also respecting that everyone is not ready yet to return to working out around other people.

“Half the population is so ready to get back in and work out because they’ve missed it, and the other half is concerned. Our response is if you don’t feel safe, don’t come,” Fouse said. “We’re turning our membership on for the people that want to come and use the facility, but those that don’t, we’re leaving them frozen.”

Another gym owner is taking a risk with a brand new gym that opened on Friday.

Jerry Oates opened Oates Gym on Warm Springs Road, in a building formerly occupied by All Fitness. Oates said Friday he’s in the “same boat” as everyone else, and is taking it one day at a time.

Only 12 people at a time are allowed in the gym in order to comply with social distancing requirements.

Ross Kennard, a patron at the gym Friday morning, said he didn’t have any concerns about using the gym as long as it is kept clean and people are able to distance themselves.

The openings this week are just the beginning of a phased approach by Kemp to reopen Georgia’s economy following the COVID-19 induced shutdown.

Beginning Monday, April 27, Georgia movie theaters will be allowed to reopen and restaurants can resume dine-in services.