West Orange Salons, Barbershops Reopen After COVID Shutdown

WEST ORANGE, NJ — Hair salons and barbershops are beginning to reopen in West Orange after temporarily shutting down due to the coronavirus.

Blo Blow Dry Bar at 235 Prospect Avenue Plaza, which is owned by franchisee Dawanna Williams, reopened for business on Thursday, three days after Gov. Phil Murphy gave the go-ahead for hair salons and barbers to start serving customers again in New Jersey.

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After Murphy’s previous order to shut down, Williams, who also lived in Orange, made the choice to close Blo Blow Dry Bar.

While Blo West Orange was closed, it organized a gift card drive to give back to local frontline health care workers. But now, staff are thrilled they can get a chance to go back to doing what they love.

“Everyone needs a little pampering now, more than ever,” said Vanessa Yakobson, CEO of Blo Blow Dry Bar. “On behalf of Dawanna Williams and her team, I want to thank our community in West Orange and surrounding areas for their support and loyalty during this difficult time.”

Here’s how things will be different at the local establishment, for now:

“Blo West Orange is normally open from dawn to dusk seven days a week; however, during this time it will temporarily have limited days of operation Thursday through Sunday only. Additionally, you must have a scheduled appointment for service; walk-ins at Blo West Orange have been temporarily suspended due to COVID-19. Online reservations are available at go.booker.com/location/blowestorange or via the app (available for IOS or Android). Appointments can also be made by calling (862) 252-6521.”

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Previously, some barbershops and hair salons in West Orange had expressed worry that they might be forced to close due to the drop in business.

In April, the co-owners of Hairport barber shop said they were afraid that they might have to shut their doors for good after 14 years.

"This is the only income we have," Betsy Nazario told Patch. "My children are full of fear. We all are."

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However, that fear partly turned to excitement as the shop prepared to open last week, its owners reported.

“For our clients’ protection and also our employees, we have put our plexiglass stations 6 feet away from each other,” Hairport stated on social media. “We have a whole lot of hand sanitizer and temperature checks for everyone’s safety. Masks are a must.”

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