Barbershops and salons in Owosso are among the nonessential businesses shut down due to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s order.
At The Lounge barbershop, located in downtown Owosso, the owner and his independent contractors discussed the situation and made the decision to shut down even before the governor's order took effect. Adam Voss is the owner of the shop, which has been in business for five years. According to Argus Press, he initially did not believe that the COVID-19 outbreak would be severe.
“Basically, it’s next to impossible to maintain distance,” Voss told Argus Press. “I still have my days where I think this is crazy and wonder if it’s real, if the media gets slanted one way or another.”
Voss told Argus Press that he filed for unemployment. However, the unemployment system is not set up for self-employed individuals.
Despite this, Voss said he is living off money he has saved. He says that he is willing to change the way business is done in order to meet social-distancing requirements and to have the doors open sooner.
“I’m open to some restrictions,” said Voss, according to Argus Press. “I’m willing to adapt, do some things like online appointments only, or one person at a time, or call someone in from their car who’s waiting.”
Jackie Shenk, owner of the Cutting Edge salon in Owosso, has been in business since 1995. Her salon has very loyal customers.
“COVID-19 has been traumatic for us,” said Shenk in an email to Argus Press. “We pride ourselves on not only being our clients’ stylists, but their friends. We miss them all so much. It has been a tremendous loss for us not only financially, but personally. We love our salon and are more like a big family [rather] than just simply coworkers.”
The stylists there are considered self-employed, so they do not qualify for unemployment.
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