Hair stylists, barbers welcome back customers with added safety measures under Phase 2

RALEIGH (WTVD) -- Saturday couldn't arrive fast enough for people like Pami Bell, who've missed the quality time they spent with hair care professionals when salons and barbers shut down during Phase One of coronavirus safety precautions.

"I'm getting my hair done for the first time in a month," she said. "I'm so excited! I have all this gray, this terrible ponytail is exactly what I've been doing for the last month and a half. Amazing, and I'm so happy!"

Joey Humphrey, owner of the Sky Parlor Salon and his staff are happy, too, now that Governor Cooper's given the green light for his business to open again.

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He stayed busy while closed, "Really updating the salon as much as I could. Make it as safe as possible for both the team and our clients. I think the mask is one of the main requirements and the social distancing in the salon. We've gone down to 50 percent capacity. We've also gotten to wearing gloves for every appointment."

He also added an air filtration system and says he's making sure everything inside the salon is extra clean.

"Just disinfecting. We've been adding time between each client so we can disinfect our stations, our tools, which gives us at least 15 minutes to sanitize everything before the next client," he said.

His attention to detail is welcomed by clients like Bell.

"Changed my whole life, with not going to the store and ordering from Instacart! It's been interesting! I'm happy that things are opening up but I'm happy that people are being smart about it," she said.

Another reminder of the new normal, as we continue adjustments to life in the time of coronavirus.