WACO, Texas — When Governor Greg Abbott announced his plans to reopen more businesses in Texas on Monday, massage, personal care and beauty services were first one the list.
Now that beauty salons and massage establishments are open, local business owners like Erin Kubala at Pura Vida Day Spa and Salon in Waco are changing the way they operate in order to follow the governor's health protocols.
"All of the clients were ready to come back, we were ready to come to work so it was a really good day,” Kubala said.
Places like Pura Vida were already partially operating, since hair and nail salons were allowed to reopen their doors earlier this month.
"I was excited for hair but we still weren't able to do massage, so it was half of us could work and the other half of us couldn't,” Kubala said.
Now they can offer all of their services and Kubala said she’s relieved, but not everything is back to normal.
Employees and customers must be screened at the door, and their temperature must be taken. To practice social distancing when doing hair and nails, only every other station is used. When getting a massage, customers can't use the robes or take showers at the establishment. In order to keep all areas clean, they have to disinfect throughout the day and make sure that hand sanitizer is available.
Kubala said even with the changes she wants to see her business flourish, so she can continue to take care of her employees.
"We've been fortunate enough to keep them all on payroll and so I just hope that we continue to grow so that I can continue to have as much staff as I have,” Kubala said.
Other places that opened after Governor Abbott’s announcement on Monday include child care services and youth clubs.
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