Utah Business Owners Make Changes, Prepare To Open Their Doors

DRAPER, Utah — Excitement has been building among many Utah business owners as they prepare to open their doors to customers, some planning as early as Friday.

The Marie and Company Salon in Draper has been shut down for a month and a half. Owner Marie Gurr said they are anxious to start seeing customers again.

“We are just super excited. We already have all of our color all stocked; we got clients texting and calling, ‘are you open;’ we’ve even been bribed to come to their houses,” Gurr said with a smile.

But come Friday, it will definitely not be business as usual for the salon.

Businesses gearing up for opening day at the first of the month! From restaurants to salons to gyms.. what will be the new normal? @KSL5TV at 5 & 6 #COVID19 #OpeningUpAmericaAgain pic.twitter.com/mFa0nlGrLs

— Dan Rascon (@TVDanRascon) April 27, 2020

“We will be spacing out the stylists that are working. We are probably going to have our clients waiting in the car. We may have to wear face masks,” she said.

Just a few miles away from Marie’s salon is Crossfit Draper.

Owner and trainer Hillari Eaton has been teaching virtual classes on Zoom. She said she’s hoping they can open their doors next Monday.

“We are very excited. I do feel like there is a light at the end of the tunnel,” said Eaton.

But like the salon, Eaton said things will definitely be different. Cleanliness and wiping down equipment will take on a whole new level, and class sizes may be limited to just eight people.

“One of the main things is we can’t have too many people in the building,” she said. “We are a smaller gym, and we don’t want too close of quarters.”

Oak Wood Fire Kitchen, located in Draper, has also been making changes to their business.

Employees said they are completely overhauling their dining area as a result of the virus, cutting their seating by more than half.

Businesses gearing up to open their doors again! One restaurant in #Draper looking to cut seating in half to accommodate social distancing @KSL5TV pic.twitter.com/uGtVz5fFuW

— Dan Rascon (@TVDanRascon) April 27, 2020

“We’ve actually pulled our corner booth out to open up a more expansive dining opportunity so that we can keep at least six feet distance between tables and chairs,” said Michael McHenry of the McHenry group that owns three restaurants along the Wasatch Front.

He said it’s definitely a new day of dining.

“When it comes to the community’s health, the health of your team, as well as the overall health and viability of your business, I think you have to take things extremely seriously under these conditions,” said McHenry.

He said he’s still in the process of trying to decide when to open their doors.

“What I know is it won’t be this week. We are going to work out our flow and our operations. Once I’m confident we will open up,” he said.

Governor Gary Herbert said that Utah is moving from the urgency stage to the stabilization stage this week, and businesses can start opening the first of May.

More press conferences are expected this week where he may get more specific about restrictions, and what the new normal may look like.