New Beginning For Santa Clara County Gyms, Salons, Spas In Age Of COVID-19
SAN JOSE (KPIX 5) -- It's the beginning of a new era for hair and nail salons, spas and gyms in Santa Clara County. Changes to the county's health order will allow them to reopen, but with restrictions.
"I'm very happy, very excited, but a little nervous at the same time," said Lieu Schultz, co-owner of the Tranquility Day Spa in San Jose's East Foothills neighborhood.
Schultz owns the business with her husband David and they have 20 employees who do hair, nails, and massage. But to comply with health orders on spacing, they have to cut the number of workers and clients they can have inside their spa at one time.
"If there's only four customers in here and four customers in there, that's a lot less than we expected," she said.
"We'll still have the same amount of utility bills, same amount of rent," said David Schultz. "So it will affect the bottom line. But we're happy to reopen."
The couple said they're planning to extend hours to close at 10 p.m. instead of 6 p.m.
"Just so we won't all be here at the same time," Mrs. Shultz said.
Gyms -- which have been closed since March -- will also be allowed to re-open.
"I think my honest first reaction was just relief," said Danielle Stinson, who runs Lifeworx Fitness and Crossfit in San Jose with her husband Troy and mother Mary Burks.
Only the family's been allowed to work out inside the gym. They've survived by holding fitness classes outdoors and lending equipment for members to take home. They'll continue with that model at first just to be on the safe side.
"Once we've done that and we feel successful and safe, and our members feel successful and safe, then we will migrate indoors," Stinson said.
Stinson said the family is also planning guidelines for working out while wearing masks.
"My absolute worst scenario is to open up freedoms to my members and then have to revoke them again," Stinson said.
If all goes accoring to plan, businesses could have their clients back inside by July 13th.
