Barbershops and hair salons in the Finger Lakes Region are set to open up shop in Phase Two of New York State’s reopening plan. However, social distancing guidelines must be followed.

Rochester City Council Vice President Willie Lightfoot is the owner of New Creations Unisex Shop. He is also the president of the United Professional Barbers and Cosmetologists Association (UPBCA), founded in 2015.

Lightfoot says he supports the temporary closure of non-essential businesses as it has saved lives, but he knows the hardship and advocates for small business owners amid the pandemic.

"To be closing and not know the fate of my barbers that were working in my facility…was very troubling and I was extremely concerned," he said.

Lightfoot says UPBCA hosted a zoom conferencing call late Monday, which included area barbershops and hair salon owners. Participants were able to address several concerns, including financial assistance and what a reopening for Phase Two may look like.

"Now that we are hearing it could be a couple of weeks,” he says, “we are having conversations. We had one last night; a 'Shop Talk with UPBCA.' We had the Mayor [Lovely Warren], County Executive [Adam Bello]; about 40 people on the call."

Lightfoot provided an overview of what was discussed, which included advice for barbershop and hair salon owners to start preparing for a Phase Two reopening.

"Because we’re not in that first wave like other states were, we have some reference to look at. We are telling people in our industry to start putting your guidelines together now. Start looking at your insurance; make sure you are properly insured. Make sure you are practicing social and physical distancing as best as possible. We are looking for some guidance from the governor, as to how many people can you have in your shop per square-footage," hes said.

Lightfoot says he already has guidelines in place for his business, including proper PPE to ensure his patrons and workers are safe.

"In my shop, I’ll be spacing folks out every other chair," he says. "We are only going to allow customers to come in by appointment; no walk-ins. We are going to try to go to a cashless system. We are not going to have any waiting."

Lightfoot says similar guidelines are the 'new abnormal' for establishments across the state.

"The only person between us and us getting back to work … is each other," he said.