LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — While restaurants and other industries are slowly opening back up, salons are still struggling amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
"You see people out at Lowes, restaurants, or Walmart, but they won't come here,” said Lynn Rabon, a hairstylist at Laura Lynn Salon.
"We are unable to book as many appointments,” said Laura Cowart, a local hairstylist.
While salons across the state are faced with strict ADH guidelines, Rabon tells us there's more gaps in her schedule than she would like.
"There's still so much worry for people coming and being so close to us,” said Rabon.
Rabon said she's lost clients who she has served for many years, which adds up to thousands of dollars in lost income.
"It's difficult. It's difficult to be self-employed and have people not want to come see you,” said Rabon.
Rabon and Cowart are both going to the extreme to keep their salon clean.
After every client, the entire salon is sanitized to keep COVID-19 at bay and to show their customers they are doing everything they can to protect them.
"We want to keep their families safe our families safe,” said Cowart.
Hairstylists are even doing services unlike ever before just to fill gaps in their schedules.
"I have a client that I do her hair out on the deck outside just so she can get her hair done, and that's okay. We will do that,” said Rabon.
Rabon and Cowart both urge the community to trust your local hair stylists and support small businesses and the self-employed.
"They are the ones hurting most right now,” said Cowart.
"We really need your support, so we can carry on with our lives as well,” said Rabon.
Another struggle salons have on hand is the back order of supplies.
For some, it's taken weeks and up to months to get hair color.