Long Island Businesses Welcome Back Customers On First Day Of Phase 3 Reopening
MASSAPEQUA, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- Long Islanders can finally eat inside a restaurant, get a massage for their aching muscles, get a tattoo, or have their nails done. Safety rules in place, of course.
At Safie Spa in Massapequa, the line was building at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday for the first day of Phase 3, CBS2's Jennifer McLogan reported.
"They love that they're back. I'm putting their touch-ups on, I'm cutting their hair. I'm making them feel beautiful again," another person said.
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The spa went through months of renovations to reach this day.
"Thermometers, we have our hand sanitizers and then we have masks," owner Danielle Kaplan said. "These are out sneeze guards making sure the clients and our staff stay safe and we also have our big safeguard blocking the two stations."
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If your eyebrows in need of shaping, a mask must be worn.
"I don't like the new normal," one customer said.
"I'm excited. A little anxiety. I just want to do right by everyone," an employee said.
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Employees are included in the occupancy limit of 50% or less.
"Nails done, hair done, it's nice to feel good about yourself," a customer said.
"Love to be back. I missed everybody," an employee said.
Wearing masks means no facials and no nose piercing. Everyone seemed to be taking the cleaning and disinfecting guidelines very seriously.
"We have a waiting list for a month for nails and pedicures," employee Mary Rode said.
The morning was filled with pampering pedicures and loads of relaxation, with everyone looking ahead to Phase 4 on Long Island in two weeks.
There has been pushback to the governor's plan to hold back on opening shopping malls, gyms, and movie theaters when the next phase comes around.
"I had actually been advocating that malls be moved to Phase 2," Nassau County Executive Laura Curran said.
There is disappointment from county leaders and the jittery business community.
"We're walking through Penn Station, we're walking through JFK. I think we can safely walk through a mall," Curran said.
"What we ask is to give us a chance to let us get back to 100%, and let us take care of what we know best and that's run our stores," said John Coumatos of BK Sweeney's Parkside Tavern in Bethpage.
Phases 3 and 4 include tens of thousands of struggling Long Island businesses.
Picnic permits are being issued for groups of up to 25 people in parks.
