ESCONDIDO, Calif. — This week marks one year of Governor Gavin Newsom's stay-at-home order for California, impacting businesses and education. News 8 featured a North County salon owner at the beginning of the pandemic. News 8's Teresa Sardina follows up to give us a look at what has changed in the past year.
Jennifer Daffern, owner of Prestige Nails in Escondido spoke with News 8 after her salon was closed for 10 weeks at the beginning of the COVID-19 shutdown as San Diego County announced hair salons and barbershops were able to reopen, but not nail salons.
From her once booked salon in a busy shopping center, she said she remembers March 18, 2020, like it was yesterday. What Daffern thought would be temporary closure turned into months of the unexpected.
“Open and close, open and close,” said Daffern.
She says during the time of temporary reopening, she had to operate the salon outdoor in triple-digit heat.
Daffern told News 8 the salon rent is $7,400 a month and she has to bring in at least $400 a day to make it - that includes rent, paying employees and salon purchases.
One year after the shutdown orders, Daffern had this to say:
“It’s not easy for me to shut down. I’m trying my best to keep it open, but it’s very difficult because you have so many bills and worries and if you’re not making what you’re making you let it go.”
Daffern couldn’t qualify for a business loan for the salon she opened in September 2019 because it was new and she couldn’t show enough income. She told News 8 she owes thousands of dollars in credit cards and personal loans, money she borrowed to equip the salon to follow the COVID-19 protocols.
Since the salon reopened in January, she said it’s one worry after another stating her employees are scared to come to work so there’s been a cutback with employees.
She counts on her clients. Daffern said she’s trying everything to keep her business going six days a week by offering discounts and online-booking for convenience. Even with her salon fully open she still can’t fill the seats.
WATCH: Escondido nail salon working outdoors [Aug. 4, 2020]: