Nail salons, barbershops open in Santa Clara County — for two days - San Francisco Chronicle

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After months of mixed messages, some Santa Clara County businesses — including salons whose owners protested in downtown San Jose in June — were allowed to reopen Monday. The reprieve proved short-lived. As stylists and nail technicians were welcoming clients back, they learned of new statewide health orders that will force them to close again in two days.

Under strict new protocols imposed by the county’s latest health order, gyms, hair and nail salons and tattoo parlors resumed operation, bringing excitement and anxiety after a series of fits and starts. But Santa Clara County said it had been placed back on the state watch list as of Sunday and learned Monday that the new restrictions on personal care businesses applied to it and will become effective Wednesday.

“It’s all sort of mushed together into a quagmire of a nightmare,” said Mary Hill, the owner of the Fabu salon in Campbell.

Hill and other salon owners had initially expected to reopen in mid-June, when some personal services businesses and the reintroduction of outdoor gatherings were scheduled to resume. In the past two weeks, the county rescinded one health order after being placed on the state health agency’s watch list, then gained a variance from the state, and finally set new guidelines for reopening Monday.

For this brief resumption of work, personal care businesses in Santa Clara had to complete an online application that showed their ability to implement safety measures for cleaning, facial coverings and proper distancing; training workers; and having an adequate plan in the event that a worker tests positive for the coronavirus.

“There are so many rules, and they aren’t clear, so it’s difficult to know if we comply,” said Lena Le, who has owned Fantasy Nails in San Jose for more than 30 years. “I’ve read the guidelines back and forth, and I still don’t understand what’s going on. I need lots of explanations.”

Hill, whose salon is ordinarily closed on Mondays, used the day to practice safety protocols, cutting her husband’s and brother’s hair.

The reopening came as coronavirus infections continued to surge in much of the state and many businesses in California faced new restrictions. State orders announced Monday by Gov. Gavin Newsom required every county in California to close indoor restaurants, movie theaters, bars and wineries. In addition, the counties on the state watch list were ordered to close hair salons, barbershops, gyms, houses of worship, offices for non-critical work sectors and shopping malls, unless they can operate outside or offer pickup services.

Confusion heightened midday Monday as the new state orders were announced, but that didn’t stop shoppers at Eastridge Center mall in San Jose. Thirty minutes before doors opened, scores of people lined up outside. Many were there to race to the salons.

Le, who said her landlord has asked her to pay back rent for the four months of closure, was still scrambling to post safety guidelines as clients tried to make appointments.

At Lita’s Hair Salon, the business limited appointments to three or four stylists and clients at a time to ensure adequate separation. Stylist Anna-Lyn Pabelonio said she has averaged five to eight clients a day for three years at Lita’s, but will now serve only two or three.

“It’s nerve-racking, but we’re excited to finally get back here,” said Pabelonio, who has been on unemployment since mid-March. “I missed working, and I feel bad for my clients.”

She started taking appointments in the middle of June, but had to cancel those after the county decided to delay the reopening of personal care businesses. Now she’s doing it again.

“This is so frustrating,” Pabelonio said. “After months, I was excited to open today and finally see people, but now we’re closing. This is the second time that I’ve made appointments only to cancel them. It’s not a great way to build clientele.”

Street Set University Barbershop and Boutique owner Defcase Dofredo, also in the Eastridge mall, was philosophical: “Yes, we have to close shop quickly, but at least they didn’t wait a week or two for when we’d be fully functioning to close us down again.”

Dofredo said he has been able to survive the shutdown through unemployment benefits and help from his wife, who works as a certified public accountant, but he missed being in the shop. Clients consistently contacted him about opening a barbershop in his garage, but he declined. He reopened Monday at limited capacity.

Next door, 24 Hour Fitness opened for the first time since March — allowing 60-minute reservations with a 30-minute cleaning break between sessions.

The extra safety measures were deemed necessary in a county that reported 315 new coronavirus cases Sunday and more than 200 Monday. The daily coronavirus cases in Santa Clara County — the initial epicenter of the outbreak in the Bay Area — have nearly tripled over the past month, now averaging 145 a day.

“I’m frantic. Everybody is frantic. The public health officer is frantic, because there is no leadership from the top, and we are not going to able to control this regionally or locally,” Dr. Jeffrey Smith, Santa Clara’s county executive, told The Chronicle.

In a video statement this weekend, Santa Clara County Health Officer Dr. Sara Cody said: “Nobody wants to have to shut things down again, and the way to prevent this is for all of us to take action together.”

Hill still plans to open Fabu Tuesday to serve eight clients, many who have been customers for the 16 years Hill has been at her current location.

“Oh, hell yeah. I’m going to do what I can do. Are you kidding? I’ve gone four months without working,” she said.

Rusty Simmons and Shwanika Narayan are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: rsimmons@sfchronicle.com, shwanika.narayan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Rusty_SFChron, @shwanika

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