Katonah's Gloss Salon Plans For Reopening In Phase Two

KATONAH, NY — New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo recently announced he's working to reopen the state little by little, and his plan includes businesses in Katonah like Gloss Salon.

Phase one businesses — construction, agriculture, manufacturing and wholesale trade, and some retail — will be permitted to reopen once the Mid-Hudson Valley meets a certain set of criteria set forth by Cuomo.

Then, each of the state's 10 regions will be reevaluated before it can move from phase one to phase two: professional services, retail, administrative support, real estate, rental and leasing.

While the Mid-Hudson Valley has not yet met the criteria to begin phase one reopening, businesses across the region have begun planning to reopen.

One of those is Gloss Salon in Katonah, which will be permitted to reopen in the valley's second phase.

Salon owner Shannon Nitti told Patch she's already taking steps to prepare for Gloss' reopening, including redesigning the business' interior to allow for more social distance.

"We have redesigned the space to be more sanitary, changed all artwork to glass, and put partitions in place where 6 feet [of space is] not possible," Nitti said. "We are making an outdoor processing area if anyone feels safer being in open air, extending hours, etc."

Nitti said that although she doesn't know exactly when the business will be permitted to reopen, she's already anticipating the hurdles the salon will have to overcome when the day arrives.

"Salons run on a cycle system based on how often people come," she said. "Now, we are going to get inundated by all our clients while still being restricted. I have a priority request list of over 60 people. It sounds like a good problem, but it will lead to many issues and unhappy people."

While remaining considerate of her clients' needs, Nitti said she's also found it challenging to keep up with the state's various mandates.

Regardless of the difficulties that lie ahead, Nitti said she's still excited see her regular customers and continue servicing debts that grew during the salon's closure.

All told, Nitti has one simple request for her clients when she's permitted to reopen.

"Please be patient, we will do our absolute best to accommodate everyone as we are all in the same situation," she said. "We miss them just as much as they miss us."