When was the last time you had a haircut, color, perm, manicure, etc.? People have started saying we’re all in the same boat. Maybe we’re all in the same state of grayness.

By the time this article is published, Janet Holloway will have reopened her salon, bringing into play a whole new set of challenges to running a business.

Like many companies in Union County and beyond, Janet’s Hair Salon closed its doors March 27th thanks to the state’s mandatory shut down due to Covid-19.

“It was a sad and scary day when we closed. The reopening of the shop is sure going to be different. There will be lots of new regulations to abide by,” said Holloway, whose spotless salon always received a score of 100 after any inspection, even before the extra precautions that are now in place.

Holloway and staff have spent hours sanitizing the shop, getting rid of magazines and putting away snacks. The waiting area is roped off. Customers are required to come alone, and can only enter the shop when notified that it is okay as the staff will be sanitizing in between each customer. The staff and customers will be required to wear masks.
Temperature checks will also be a part of the new norm for now. Holloway suspects the State Board of Cosmetology will be making frequent visits to check on whether the shop is following the new guidelines.

“My appointment book is full for the next three weeks with appointments that were scheduled before the virus hit and we had to close,” said Holloway, whose salon employs eight people. “It will take a while to catch up since we are required to work on only one client at a time with no more than ten in the shop at once, when before, we might have as many as two or three clients in process. The “slowing down” part is okay with me cause I’m not as young as I used to be. And I have realized that God is in control.”

Holloway says she has been blessed during her time off. The day she had to close her shop she received a message from a sweet friend that resulted in making her time in quarantine a lot more fun.

“My buddy Jacob Heiskell and me made a trip to Bean Station to see a boxer puppy my friend said needed a home. I came home with Miss Alaska; a gift from God who has sure stolen my heart.”

Holloway says she and her staff have missed their clients a great deal and hope they have been missed as well. She thinks the greatest request from clients will be for color to cover gray, followed by haircuts. She is asking for prayer for her staff and clients as the business moves forward under the new guidelines.

“I will be glad to get back to work so that I know what day it is,” said Holloway. “You sure lose track of time when you’re not working.”

Janet’s Hair Salon is located at 3625 Maynardville Highway and can be reached at 992-4604. The salon was scheduled to reopen May 7.