INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana's stay-at-home order will continue through May 1 and Gov. Eric Holcomb said businesses that have been closed should start preparing now to safely reopen when the time comes.
Inside the the Runway Barber and Beauty Lounge in Indianapolis the only thing getting cleaned up is the shop itself as barbershops and beauty salons have been ordered to close in an effort to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.
"No business at all," Jasen Lockwood, owner of the Runway Barber and Beauty Lounge, said. "We've been closed since March 24, projected to be reopened May 5."
Lockwood's projection comes with the hope that the governor allows barbershops to reopen when the current executive order expires. Whether opening day is at the start of May or later, Lockwood is preparing for big business.
"I project us to be busy as if we didn't close," Lockwood said. "The anticipation for haircuts is definitely going to be at an all-time high."
With that anticipation comes some nervousness and new precautions. Getting a haircut is an absolute violation of social distancing with a barber and their client inches away from the others face. Lockwood said cutting hair during a pandemic will bring a number of changes.
"I'm going to make sure that we have gloves on hand for clients that come in as well as masks," Lockwood said. "All my barbers will have masks. Temperatures will be checked as clients come in as well as barbers."
And as for those clippers that touch every customer's face?
"Through this process we are going to make sure as we are spraying our clippers we have disinfectant spray and we're going to make sure the client sees us spray each clipper before we even put it on their head just to give them a peace of mind," Lockwood said.
Barbers will also work in shifts, increasing social distancing by using every other chair. Lockwood said customers should feel at ease knowing the staff at Runway are taking safety seriously.
"They scared enough, trust me," Lockwood said. "They calling and asking me questions on a day-to-day basis as far as how are we going to move forward with sanitation. So I know they are serious about keeping the place clean."
Holcomb on Tuesday said Indiana's daily numbers of COVID-19 cases will drive the decision to reopen businesses like barbershops and restaurants.
