Salon owner vows to meet, even go beyond, governor’s reopening requirements

Salon owner vows to meet, even go beyond, governor’s reopening requirements

COEUR d’ALENE — Marie Lacroix has a request of Gov. Brad Little.

“We would really appreciate Gov. Little, and we do appreciate him, if he would give us an opportunity to open up and prove ourselves.”

The owner of Blondies salon, closed since March 24, would like to reopen her shop of 11 years.

“It is frustrating,” she said Thursday morning. “We have a lot of clients. They understand what’s going on, but they would like their hair done if possible, and we would like to do it.”

It is, she added, a situation they have no control over.

“I think that’s part of the frustration clear across the United States,” Lacroix said.

She pointed out that the stylists in her shop are independent subcontractors and are not employees, so this shutdown has been hard on them.

“They have no income when this happens,” she said.

But they could be working in another three weeks.

On Thursday, Little unveiled his phased-in reopening of the state’s economy. Salons can reopen May 16 “once their plans to reopen have been submitted for approval by local public health districts.”

Lacroix said she will, of course, follow the governor’s plan.

“I understand it, and I respect it,” she said.

Lacroix has been in the salon industry 40 years. It is one of the few with health inspectors, she said, and she has always earned A’s.

“There’s my certification right there,” she said proudly.

But with COVID-19, she said Blondies must take cleaning to another level.

“We are very driven to do what we have to do,” Lacroix said.

She expects to see stricter health laws in her industry and is prepared to do whatever is necessary.

“We want to get back to work, but we want to do it right,” she said.

When they reopen, stylists, nail technicians and estheticians will be wearing masks, gloves and sterilizing after each client.

There will be no congregating of customers in the reception area and during a quick walk-through of her business, Lacroix points out there’s plenty of open space between stations.

“I am confident, if we take all the measures we have set in place, we’re going to be safe and our clients are going to be safe,” she said. “There is no question.”