Hair salons and barbershops around town are figuring out ways to reopen while still keeping customers and employees safe.
The state stay-at-home order will expire by the start of business hours Monday, but experts and government officials are still asking Missourians to keep as much distance as possible between one another, creating tricky situations for those whose work involves hand-to-head contact.
"Please bear with us while we try to figure out the new normal," Mancave Men's Salon wrote in a Facebook post announcing appointments starting next week.
Though each establishment is taking its own approach, shops are implementing many of the same safety protocols, including frequent hand washings, closed waiting rooms and services by appointment only.
In a lengthy Facebook post, Lasting Image outlined an extensive list of precautions: The front door will remain locked until the guest is invited in for their appointment, and customers will be asked to wash their hands and sign a waiver stating they have not had recent symptoms or contact with anyone with symptoms.
"We will be doing everything we can to keep our guest and stylist as safe as possible!" Lasting Image wrote in the Friday social media post. "This means it will not just be business as usual."
The Edge Salon and Spa posted a similar message on Facebook. Stylists will be wearing face shields or masks, and the salon will also be using waivers.
"This will take time to get back in our groove especially following strict guidelines of one client per stylist at a time," The Edge wrote. "Please be patient with us."
Salon Studio is taking several similar actions: Its waiting room will also be closed, and guests will be asked to wash their hands.
"We're not really having a waiting room, and we're not having a coffee bar," Salon Studio stylist Cassie Goosey said. "We're not having the usual type of vibe like a hangout spot. It's definitely not going to be like that."
Goosey is one of nine stylists who operate out of Salon Studio. She said the team met remotely this week to figure out a game plan. Though stylists are allowed to start working again Monday, Goosey is waiting until Wednesday to start back up.
When asked whether appointment requests are high, Goosey said they are.
"Oh my gosh, yes, my phone's been blowing up," Goosey said with a laugh. "I have six and a half weeks of appointments to make up."
Since she stopped taking clients, Goosey has been staying home with her two children.
"I have honestly just enjoyed my time - I have a 2-year-old and a 6-year-old, and my husband's been working," she said.
This past fall, Goosey's younger child fell ill. The family spent 43 days with her in the hospital.
"That's part of the reason why I was totally fine with staying home," she said. "A lot of my guests have reached out to see how she's doing."
Goosey said her regulars have been supportive during this time. Macey Cole from Tanglez Salon also said she's appreciated her clients.
"Our clients have been very supportive and very understanding with this," Cole said.
Appointments at Tanglez Salon are going fast. The salon is asking customers wait in their cars and come alone for appointments. Masks are also welcome at Tanglez.
Cole described the need to balance personal safety with financial need as a Catch-22, noting even if they weren't open, stylists would still have to go out in public for necessities like groceries.
"Of course we worry about, what if we get it and bring it back to our families and children?" Cole said. "Being a hair dresser, it's more intimate. But (customers) are like family too."
With salon doors closed, many stylists had no way of making income, Cole said.
"I have - and I've seen other stylists - clients have sent checks," she said. "Obviously, we didn't ask for that, but I feel very grateful having clients that are like family because I know times are hard."
Goosey said she's heard jokes about people doing their own hair at home.
"Some have straight up told me, 'Yeah, I've been trimming my own bangs,'" Goosey said.
Cole hasn't heard of anyone actually taking their hair into their own hands, though she's heard plenty of jokes.
"It will be interesting when we open back up, because usually they don't admit it until they're in the chair," Cole said.