IT’S not easy to keep the chin up when facing the storms of life, particularly if you are currently in the hair salon business.
Every barber or hairstylist has their own story to tell.
“Business is slow, but I am still keeping my spirit up to ride out the storm,’’ Touch Hair Studio owner Thilagavathi Subramaniam said when Buletin Mutiara contacted her today.
The 39-year-old professional make-up artist and hairstylist in Little India, Penang, said even though they were allowed to resume business in July, it has still not picked up.
“To compound the problem, the recent fake news that went viral on WhatsApp claimed that Little India has a high number of Covid-19 cases.
“People in Penang were told to stay away from the area. This has resulted in a significant drop in the number of customers not only for me but also for many other business outlets here.
“Even my regular customers would ring me up to enquire about a particular shop which was rumoured to be shut down due to Covid-19, but actually the shop is closed for renovation,’’ said Thilagavathi, who has been running her business for the past 15 years.
According to Thilagavathi, hair salons are now only allowed to provide basic hair cut services to customers. This restriction, she said, has indeed impacted her income.
“Formerly, when customers came to us for a haircut they would normally request for other services such as hair-dye, hair wash as well as blow-dry the hair.
“But now, the SOP for hair salon is very strict. The authorities only permit basic haircut services,’’ said Thilagavathi.
She said she is complying with the SOPs strictly and only allows a maximum of two customers at one time via appointment.
“Where my business operation is concerned, I am very cautious. I adhere to a strict SOP; I sanitise the whole area after I am done with my customers.
“I would normally wait for at least 30 minutes before attending to the next customer. I am taking extra precautionary measures for everyone’s sake.
“Moreover, at home I also have elderly people and children who are considered the vulnerable group. So, it is my responsibility to ensure their safety as well,’’ she added.
Asked about her make-up and bridal services, Thilagavathi said she has even declined a few offers.
“I did receive requests for make-up service, but I did not take up the offers as I am more concerned with the safety of my health.
“Let us all hope that the pandemic will come to an end very soon as many people are struggling to make ends meet. It is a day-to-day battle for some,’’ added Thilagavathi.
Story by Tanushalini Moroter
Pix courtesy of Touch Hair Studio