Some Valley businesses concerned for a potential May 1st reopening
PHOENIX - While many businesses are preparing to reopen to the public on May 1st, some are in no rush to get back to business as usual.
Many restaurant and salon owners, and Phoenix’s Mayor want to get a better grasp on COVID-19 before opening up.
It’s been more than a month since Governor Doug Ducey ordered bars and restaurants closed, and nearly a month since the stay-at-home order was issued.
Ducey has not announced if the orders will expire, be extended or modified.
Brynne Dubin owns a beauty salon and says it's way too soon to reopen. "In a salon you’re face to face, there’s no 6 feet of distance," she said.
Her salon has been shut down for nearly 2 months and before she opens up again, she’d want to have the right protective gear, and so would her clients.
"Not only am I uncomfortable getting back into work, a lot of them are uncomfortable coming into the salon," she said.
Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego told the Greater Phoenix Economic Council on Tuesday that she plans to follow federal guidelines, looking at data, gradually reopening establishments, but maintaining social distancing.
"I think we will have a gradual reopening but we will see businesses open, but what used to be capacity, we won't see the same levels as before and see more wearing of these beloved masks," Gallego said.
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Steve Chucri, president of the Arizona Restaurant Association, does not believe many restaurants will be ready to reopen if the governor lifts the stay-at-home order on May 1st
"We have to make sure our food supply is adequate, food to reorder, employees to bring back on board, dining rooms need to be cleaned," Chucri said. "I believe we will start to see restaurants opening in the middle of May."
When restaurants finally do reopen, he says customers can expect the dining rooms to be at lower capacity, more space between tables and stools, menus to be sanitized before being handed to you and some bar areas closed.