Area health and beauty professionals are struggling through the COVID-19 shutdown as business owners are worried about their employees, their clients, and the future of their own small business.
“It’s been tough for us,” Kim Esch, owner of Elements of Style in Barneveld said. “To suddenly have no way of making income is stressful and unsettling, especially not knowing when we can re-open.”
Esch and her staff have not received any unemployment. She applied for a few of the loans and grants being offered to small businesses but hasn’t heard back. As of right now, the only service she can offer her clients retail sale of products, either picked up curbside or by doorstep drop-off.
“Something that is frustrating to me is that I am hearing about businesses that are still up and running, business as usual, that have already gotten approved for some of this forgivable financial assistance,” she said. “Yet, I am mandated to close and have not heard a word back from anyone about any kind of financial help.”
Down the road, Christina D’Ambrio and her staff at New Attitude Health and Wellness Spa (which has one location in Barneveld and one in Yorkville) are facing similar challenges.
“This puts me out of business for (at least) 55 days,” D’Ambrio said. “I myself have believed that staying positive and believing that the well-intentioned promises that were made by the government would pull us through these hard times. However, some days it is impossible to believe that they have small business in their best interests and not any political agenda. I pray for all small businesses to pull through this as we are the foundation of our economy.”
In Boonville, the Black River Training Company has also been forced to close the doors until at least May 15. Like many other local businesses, they have reached out for help and have been met with silence.
“For a business to go two full months plus without income is disastrous,” owner Trista Richardson said. “The reserves become depleted quickly. No business is financially prepared for something like this. We have taken the steps from day one to apply for the SBA disaster assistance loans but there is no way of knowing how and when those will be sorted out. In short, regarding the SBA, we have heard nothing.”
Many local businesses, both in the health and beauty industry and beyond, were sent reeling by the state’s sudden shutdown.
“All of this took place during a thriving economy,” Richardson said. “All businesses were asked to suspend activity thus completely halting and instantaneously negatively impacting economic standings. “
In the health and beauty industry, many services require close proximity and cannot easily be adjusted for social distancing.
“With mandatory shutdown of beauty services such as the ones that I provide like microblading and semi-permanent cosmetics, business is at a complete standstill,” Julia Butler, owner of Arch Mecha, said. “My job entails face to face contact, so there isn’t much of a workaround for me. The biggest difficulty is trying to maintain overhead costs through the quarantine. Without any clients coming in my income is zero and I’m surviving off of my savings. It makes you question every day how long you can keep things afloat.”
Another concern is her clients.
“I can imagine it’s also difficult for my clients that have had their first appointments and now can’t come for their follow up, or those that have been waiting to be seen and I’ve had to cancel,” she said.
Butler, like many local business owners, is remaining realistic and as optimistic as possible.
“I know a lot of small businesses are hurting but I also understand why it’s happening,” Butler said. “I just try to stay positive and take things day by day.”
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