Salons sizzle, but no customers at beauty parlours and tea shops

The government has issued new guidelines for salons, including turning off air conditioners, while customers visiting tea shops were asked to bring their own containers to carry parcels. 

“The business was dull, because majority of usual customers are those visiting textile shops, which are not allowed to reopen yet. So, we had less than 10 persons so far. We are expecting the business to pick up after a week or two,” said B Sudheeran, who runs a tea shop in Old Washermenpet. 

He added that Corporation volunteers and police were checking on whether the shop is crowded. If there are more than two or three people waiting, they are sent back immediately. Also, there is a shortage of workers, who have not returned from their hometowns. 

Similarly, beauty parlors also failed to receive customers on the day. Many rued that their equipment that remained unused for more than a month were not in a working condition now. 

“Our regular customers are college students and hostel inmates, who were forced to vacate due to the lockdown. And nowadays, people are doing makeup and facial on their own. So they are no more excited when parlors reopened. Also, all the beauty products expired and we have to buy new. It would take at least three months for the business to be normal,” said Sreelekha of Splash Beauty Parlour in Kilpauk. 

Meanwhile, salons received a good number of customers. Vijayan Kumar, a barber from Adyar, said they did not expect so many people would visit on day one.