Texas barber shop chain reopening

DALLAS -- Finley's Barber Shop co-owner Darren Peterson said his worst nightmare came true when the coronavirus began spreading across Texas and the nation.

"We have 15 locations, and I never thought every location would ever be closing down at the same time," he said. Peterson and co-founder Scott Finley operate barber shops in throughout Texas and Denver.

There was always the chance of a single location closing, he said. A hurricane could rip through Houston or a blizzard might render the roads impassable in Colorado.

"But we'd still have everything else to support it," Peterson said.

Covid-19 changed all of that.

Peterson found himself facing uncertainty and angst, just like other businesses in Plano, Texas, and across the region.

He worried about his employees being out of work. He wondered where he would get protective equipment that is in short supply. And Peterson and his business partner began sorting through how their barber shops could operate once allowed to reopen.

Financially, it wasn't possible to support the employees throughout the pandemic without any revenue coming in, he said.

"Letting any employee go is hard, and especially when you're closing," Peterson said.

Some of the employees were able to collect unemployment, and others are returning to work.

Those who have returned face the challenge of using new and sometimes awkward safety measures while trying to re-create the same experience for customers.

"As a local business, we're all dedicated to making it as safe as possible and a comfortable environment," Peterson said. "Whether it's a restaurant, a retail store or a barber shop, you want to make the experience as similar as it was before.

"You want to make it just like they remember it being, before March."

So far, the cooperation from the public has been excellent.

"Everyone's been really great and respectful," Peterson said.

Operating at 25% capacity "has been a pretty big hit for us," he said. To create a safe and clean environment, additional time is spent on cleaning equipment and fixtures in between clients.

Reopening the shops felt a lot like a grand reopening, he said.

"You have that excitement and fear," he said. "We just take it on day at a time and do the best we can. It was a special day just to have customers."

SundayMonday Business on 05/31/2020

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