Barber shops and salons reopen across Greater Lafayette

Barber shops and salons were among the personal services allowed to reopen Monday during the second stage of Indiana's Back on Track plan.

To get a haircut.

Barber shops and hair salons were allowed to reopen after nearly two months this morning.

As news 18's balint szalavari reports, local barber shop owners are expecting a surge in customers over the next few days.

Nat: hair trimmer after being closed for two months, barber shop owners like joe lanie are happy to see their doors reopen.

Lanie: "i figured we'd be busy today."

While lanie is glad to be back in business, he says having to close due to covid-19 wasn't easy.

Lanie: "we had to pay the rent twice with no money coming in you know, but we were in good enough shape to pay it."

Barber shops and salons were among the personal services that have been allowed to reopen monday during the second stage of indiana's back on track plan.

With doors open, some salons across greater lafayette saw wait times up to two hours.

Other shops like razor's edge in west lafayette saw their schedule quickly fill up.

Nat: phone ringing owner darci mckinney says appointments were booked for monday, and tuesday was nearly filled as well.

Mckinney: "we get guys in here that come in everywhere from once a week to once every three of four weeks.

So when it was shut down for two months, that was a long time in between haircuts for a lot of these gentlemen."

With doors are now open, both lanie's and razor's edge are keeping safety in mind.

Lanie's is requiring all customers to wear face masks.

And both shops are having employees wash their hands and sanitize stations between each haircut.

Mckinney says she hopes business will continue safe practices even after covid-19.

Mckinney: "it's human nature to be very at first and then slowly peter off and not be as vigorous as what were doing right now.

I hope business step up and do more like that."

In west lafayette.

Ba;omt szalavari, news 18.

Stage 2 of the state's reopening will continue through may 23rd.

Retail will see looser restrictions and gyms will be allowed to reopen near the end