Beauty salons see rise in customers following new COVID restrictions in California

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    SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KCRA) — Business is blowing up at Focus Hair Studio in Natomas — for the time being.

“There’s definitely more people are wanting to come in as much as possible,” cosmetologist Melissa Montalbano said. “This weekend, we are fully booked.”

The appointments come just days before an expected stay-at-home order comes into place, meaning all beauty salons in areas that don’t meet requirements for the latest round of statewide restriction guidelines would have to close back down again.

“You never [thought] you going to be compromised in your career,” Montalbano said. “You never thought it would be illegal to do your job.”

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced new stay-at-home orders Thursday amid dwindling ICU capacity at hospitals across the state. Unlike previous restrictions in California, the new stay-at-home order focuses on five different regions in lieu of counties. The five regions are: Northern California, Greater Sacramento, Bay Area, San Joaquin Valley and Southern California.

Regions whose ICU capacity drops below 15% will trigger the new restrictions, requiring several businesses, including hair salons, to close. The new COVID restrictions will last for three weeks, then be assessed weekly going forward as the state tries to slow the spread of surging coronavirus cases.

Some at the Natomas salon said that there have been some people also calling to cancel appointments given the fear of rising COVID-19 cases.

“It’s one big juggle,” said customer Milan Bhatia, who stopped by the salon to pick up his elderly mother from her hair appointment.

Bhatia’s usual salon in Yuba City closed this year during the business shutdowns, so they now turn to the Focus Hair Salon.

“We see they sanitize the whole area and keep it clean, so that makes my mom feel comfortable and good,” Bhatia said.

The salon is booking hair and nail appointments in January now, staff staying hopeful it will survive through the new year.

“Obviously I want to stay working,” Montalbano said. “But if things are getting that serious where we have to shut down, I guess its for the best and make sense.”

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