HARKER HEIGHTS, TX — After her doors shuttered for months due to the COVID-19 pandemic, hair salon owner Latoya Foster with Cheveux Artiste Boutique was excited to reopen in May.
"We were ecstatic because we missed our clients and we want to get back to servicing the community and also just getting some income," said Foster.
However, with statewide coronavirus cases nearing 500,000 in Texas, Foster says it almost feels like they are back to square one.
"Basically they might book an appointment and then the news will come on and say cases have spiked up and then after that we lose the, we see a cancellation through our booking app," said Foster.
She says since the spike in numbers, the salon has seen on average at least 40 cancellations a week, all due to COVID-19 concerns.
"Or they want an isolated appointment, meaning that they don't want anyone in the shop, not even stylists or barbers," said Foster.
Clients like Andrea Holmes are opting out until they see fewer COVID cases.
"I just decided not to go. I called up my beautician and let her know the worries that I have and that I just couldn't risk myself and my family," said Holmes.
Keith Bentley sells beauty supply products for Armstrong McCall Professional Beauty Supply to salons across Central Texas. He says she is not alone.
"Clients are calling in and they're canceling their appointments," said Bentley. "We're all family. I've been doing this for 24 years and I hate that this has happened to all of us. But we all just have to hang in there together."
