Fed-Up NJ Hairdressers, Barbers Rally In Verona: ‘Let Us Reopen’

VERONA, NJ — They stood apart, but united.

Hundreds of fed-up hairdressers and barbers from across New Jersey rallied for a “peaceful photoshoot” at Verona Park on Wednesday afternoon. Clad in black for solidarity and wearing face coverings, the participants had a simple message: Let the state’s salons and barbershops get back to work.

Wednesday’s rally took place at a county-run park that was shut down to the public just a few weeks ago due to the coronavirus crisis. However, the park recently reopened — with restrictions — after Gov. Phil Murphy gave local authorities the go-ahead.

READ MORE: NJ Coronavirus Updates (Here's What You Need To Know)

According to the NJ Salon And Spa Coalition, which helped spearhead the rally, the concepts of “reopening” and “safety” aren’t mutually exclusive. And there’s no reason to keep thousands of hardworking hairdressers and barbers without paychecks any longer, its members say. (See the group’s plan to reopen below.)

One of the coalition’s founding members, Tricia DiFranco, the owner of Hilights Salon in Lyndhurst, says the entire industry has been hit hard by the COVID-19 crisis and the resulting quarantine in New Jersey.

DiFranco, who employs almost 30 full- and part-time workers at her salon, urged people to show up Wednesday with “support and love” for each other.

While their industry peers from across New Jersey were invited to the Verona Park event, there was one unwelcome guest, organizers said: partisan rhetoric.

“No political gear,” the coalition stated in an Instagram post about the rally. “Wear black and bring a sign of positivity.”

Respecting social distancing guidelines, they held signs bearing the names of their businesses: Hair By Honeycutt of Barnegat, Hair Trendz of Westwood, Banshee + Co. Hairdressing of Caldwell.

Many people who attended the rally were business owners who said the shutdown is causing them serious financial woes.

“For the owners, there's no unemployment,” Ann Marie Nardone, the owner of Portray Salon in Montclair, told NorthJersey.com. “We're losing a lot of money. We'll abide by any guidelines, but we need to go back to work.”

Others had personal connections to the coronavirus crisis that go beyond finances — such as Joe Mastalia, a beauty product distributor from Fair Lawn who said he lost business and his 90-year-old mother to the virus.

“Our country has to get back to work,” he told NorthJersey.com. “It’s not greed.”

• See related article: West Orange Family 'Full Of Fear,' May Lose Beloved Barber Shop

Verona had seen 116 confirmed cases of the coronavirus with 13 deaths connected to the COVID-19 disease as of Wednesday, according to county statistics.

Essex County, which also includes the state’s most populated city, Newark, has been hit particularly hard by the virus. As of the time of the rally Wednesday afternoon, Essex had seen 16,852 cases of the new coronavirus, the third-highest total in New Jersey behind Hudson and Bergen counties, according to the state health department.

• See related article: Essex County Has Third-Highest Coronavirus Fatality Rate In NJ

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REOPEN NEW JERSEY’S SALONS, BARBERSHOPS?

Earlier this week, Murphy released more details about the plan to reboot New Jersey’s economy during the coronavirus crisis. But on Tuesday, the governor said he’s still reluctant to reopen some brick-and-mortar businesses because of the close contact between workers and their clients.

That apparently includes "personal care businesses" such as barbershops, salons, spas and tattoo parlors, which were ordered closed March 19.

“Inside, no ventilation, close contact, is a hard nut to crack,” Murphy commented Tuesday. “We're just not there yet.”

However, the governor added that salons and barbershops may be among the "stage two" businesses that are allowed to reopen under his plan, which could take place in "a matter of weeks."

• See related article: Gov. Murphy Provides Time Frame For Reopening Salons, Gyms, Dining

But according to the NJ Salon And Spa Coalition, which is pushing for a June 1 reopen date, there’s a safe way to put the Garden State’s hairdressers and barbers back to work. All it would take is some strict adherence to social distancing and sterilization guidelines — and some common courtesy.

Some of the group’s suggestions include:

• Guests to be serviced by appointment only.
• Exclusion of congregation outside or inside the companies.
• Phased in opening to accommodate proper social distancing per guidance by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (6 feet apart, 30 percent occupancy).
• Tools soaked sanitized and disinfectant between clients.
• Sanitation stations at entrance points and cash register and hand-washing upon arrival.
• High-contact areas and bathrooms sanitized as needed.
• Face mask and gloves required for staff. Face masks required for patrons.
• Sanitized or single-use capes for each patron.
• Permit the allowance of PPE (personal protective equipment) fees to be placed on a service fee to help salons recoup loss and afford needed equipment.
• Only one guest per service provider.
• Guests are not permitted to bring in outside food, beverages, personal belongings, etc. unless medically necessary.
• Guest services will be spaced 15 minutes apart to allow for proper sanitization.

It’s a plan that the governor should approve of, the group says. However, some salon owners plan to reopen on June 1 no matter what Murphy says.

Nick Mirabella and George Verdis, owners of the The Brick and Mirror Beauty Bar in Parsippany, closed their doors March 19. But despite their best attempts to comply with Murphy’s orders, the time has come to open again, they say.

“What it comes down to is we have families to feed, and our employees have families to feed,” George Verdis told CNN. “At the end of the day, we were told by Gov. Murphy we were going to be 15 days, this was in March, then it went to 15 more days and then 30. There obviously isn't a plan from his end to open up.”

• See related article: Parsippany Salon Owners Set Reopen Date Despite COVID-19 Shutdown

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