We as salon owners are facing financial hardship and possibility of some of us having to close our doors. There is not much relief out there to carry most of us through. I believe we are some of the cleanest industries out there. We rely on our clients and customer base just as any other business out there. Servicing limited amount of clients poses little to no risk of spreading the virus, as compared to 20 or more people in a grocery store at any given time!

Many of us our self-employed and/or independent contractors and have not received any federal or state aide of any kind We are heading into our second month of no income and our small businesses are suffering immensely and some are on the verge of no return Our business could be deemed essential! Many of our clients are getting desperate and it is a fact that our appearance has a great deal to do with mental health and our overall sense of well being.

Cigar stores in Dallas County are closed because the businesses are considered non essential. Like liquor, tobacco is a product people have legally used and enjoyed since before the founding of this Country. Curb side is safe for food and liquor, why not tobacco? It is nuance without a difference. When I see 80 cars at Loews and 50 cars at major liquor stores what is the impact of 1 or 2 cars at the cigar store? It is safer! Allowing a customer to order ahead and pick up on a couple of cigars at curb side at a Cigar store is safer than it is to go through the drive through at McDonalds.

Small businesses are the backbone of our economy. America was built by the small business man. We, as business owners, are losing everything we have worked so hard for. We cannot continue to to wait. The bars were the first businesses to have to close. We should be allowed to reopen by May 1st.

Ever since COVID-19 it has been affecting us in major ways and forcing people to make tough decisions for their families. We are going through financial hardship. We were promised bail outs through small business loans or grants yet the government has made the stipulations on these grants nearly impossible for our type of business to qualify for the loan to become a grant.not to mention there is no money left for these grants, and a large percentage of the grants went to large businesses and not small businesses. Most tattoo shops, if not all tattoo shops, have been/ will be denied . We have no help when we have been promised help. We are still waiting for an application for independent contractor unemployment. Most of us have gone without making any money for 4 weeks or more. And are looking at another 2 weeks for an unemployment application. Then another 2 to 4 weeks for payment of any kind. The Quarantine was implemented to flatten the curve of the spread of COVID-19 to assure that hospitals were not overwhelmed all the once in to help prevent such a rapid spread . The numbers of infected people is on the decline . We tattoo artists are trained and certified in blood-borne pathogen‘s and cross-contamination as well as many other medical safety and sterility procedures we are just as safe if not safer than most hospitals. tattoo shops are very clean and we take this very serious. This is our livelihood and if we do not return back to work by May 1st many Tattoo businesses will be lost as well as Barbershops, Beauty Salons ,and Groomers among many others. We will not be able to pay our bills, rents/mortgages, Insurances, we have the very potentially of losing everything. We still have to pay our mortgages/ rents and phone bills and gas and electric none of this has stopped for us . Yes, we can postpone them, but they’re not going away! "Some" of us can sustain for a while, but most can't. That doesn’t mean that we are doing OK Governor Wolfe. This is how we pay our bills. This is how we feed our families and we are not getting any help from anyone, nor are we asking for it. We just want to be allowed to return to work, and be able to sustain ourselves. Pennsylvania Tattoo Artist

Ever since COVID-19 it has been affecting us in major ways and forcing people to make tough decisions for their families. We are going through financial hardship. we were promised bail outs through small business loans or grants. Yet the government has made the stipulations on these grants nearly impossible for our type of business to qualify for the loan to become a grant. Most tattoo shops if not all tattoo shops have been/ will be denied . We have no help when we have been promised help. The Quarantine was implemented to flatten the curve of the spread of COVID-19 to assure that hospitals were not overwhelmed all the once in to help prevent such a rapid spread . The numbers of infected people is on the decline . We tattoo artists are trained and certified in blood-borne pathogen‘s and cross-contamination as well as many other medical safety and sterility procedures we are just as safe if not safer than most hospitals. tattoo shops are very clean we take this serious this is our livelihood if we do not return back to work by May 1st many small businesses will be lost . We will not be able to pay our bills, rents/mortgages, Insurances, we have the very potentially of losing everything. We still have to pay our mortgages/ rents and phone bills and gas and electric none of this has stopped for us . Yes, we can postpone them, but they’re not going away! Some of us can still sustain for a while, but that doesn’t mean that we are doing OK this is how we pay our bills this is how we feed our families and we are not getting any help from anyone, nor are we asking for it. We just want to be allowed to return to work in a safe manor

This is important for clients relying on massage for pain and or stress management. It is also vital for LMT’s who are self employed and unable to apply for unemployment on the unemployment website as it is STILL not updated for the self employed to apply. And, now we are unable to apply for the Paycheck Protection Program as there is no money. We WANT TO WORK!

Exercise and fresh air are needed for maintaining good health. People need an outlet for boredom and monotony from social distancing. Hiking and nature is one of the best stress relievers in the world.

So far the best Gym I have been to in Greenville SC. This gym Met all of the major requirements a true gym rat needed: functional equipment, always clean, family environment, friendly staff, knowledgeable trainers and great hours of operation! This gym was the best gym I have ever trained at! The gym was always crowded and seemed to be profitable. This location is also the one location that is centrally located. We “all member’s” are very upset this location is the one closing in SC!

We are able to safely implement precautionary procedures to allow our clients to see us as they’re requesting. This will allow us to save our businesses. With zero income and expenses still coming in most of us can not survive another month.

The survival of the independent beauty and barber professionals are at risk. We are facing a grave financial hardship.

Did you know that surrounding counties are opening their campgrounds? Let’s open fdl campgrounds to seasonals to start a soft opening of campgrounds in fdl county!! Seasonal campers are a home for some in the summer including healthcare workers who want to keep away from family after shifts to stay safe. It is also a place that people can relax and keep a safe distance just like at home. If we are allowed & encouraged at home to sit outside, walk on the sidewalks, walk our dogs, clean up our yards.. why can’t we do that at our seasonal campers? There is no difference in how close a camper is to another camper in a seasonal setting than a house being that close to another house. PLEASE- Open with limitations as noted in governor Evers FAQ released 4/16/20 stating campgrounds are allowed to be open with limitations such as no pool, bar, lobby, mini golf, etc being open. We spend a lot of money on rent & have campers to maintain on these sites. If campers do not follow social distancing, or other set rules then they will not be allowed back in until orders lift. We all respect each other as seasonal campers and would like nothing more than to walk past a camper and just wave hi from a recommended social distance. Please open our campgrounds so that we can stay safe in our campers. If people are allowed to go golfing & maintain a distance so can we as campers. It’s a community of people who will respect any rules or limitations set in place if opened.