FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The long wait for a haircut or a nail appointment is finally over, and the long wait for incomes is finally here for the men and women who provide those services.
Operations will seem a little different though.
Many have complained about long hair and long nails, among many other services they missed during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
On Wednesday (May 6), salons, barbershops and nail shops are among those allowed to reopen in Arkansas.
Beauty professionals at Qnails in Fayetteville say it's great to be back in the store.
"It did drag on for a really long time. I did miss coming to work," Anna Lyssa Harmon said.
Customers told 5NEWS it was much needed.
“It feels so great to be able to have all my fingernails the right length again,” Bernadine Jones said.
Jones is 85-years-old and told 5NEWS she has suffered from a few heart attacks. Since the outbreak started, Jones hasn't gone out much because of her age and the potential risks to health. But, she says with the new guidelines salons and barbershops are putting in place, she feels more comfortable visiting their shops.
"When I found out how stringent they were going to be on the rules, then I felt safe in doing that," Jones said.
Nail technicians must wear masks and gloves and have a barrier between them and their clients when touching up their nails. They almost must only work with one customer at a time, which Harmon says can make it more enjoyable.
"It is kind of neat to have experiences being more personal than the times before when we were too busy to talk," Harmon said.
At Mason's Old Time Barbershop in Springdale, clients are already rushing in to get a trim. Terry Craig Mason told 5NEWS he hasn't left from behind the chair since they opened. He says he's had appointments lined up about every 20 minutes since reopening.
Customers waiting outside to get a haircut told 5NEWS a gradual reopening is a smart move, and that the new restrictions allow the general public to make decisions for themselves.