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Businesses under phase 2 of reopen plan await the announcement from Shelby County leaders to get back to work

Hair and nail salons, gyms, and tattoo studios say they've been practicing state and industry health standards well before COVID-19 came along

MEMPHIS, Tennessee —

As Shelby County begins to look ahead to phase 2 of the reopening plan included businesses and public places are making preparations. For some businesses phase 2 means welcoming more people through their doors after opening last week in phase one. For others it means just finally opening the doors for the first time in several weeks.

Irony, you could hear it in the voice of nearly every professional or operator of a business in the phase 2 reopening structure for Shelby County. Hair and nail salons, gyms and tattoo studios say they've been practicing state and industry health standards well before COVID-19 came along.

Like Milos Mikic of Crossfit Blackbuck who says masks are the biggest change for his business.

"We really make sure anything a gym member touches during their time at the gym they're wiping down and we are also going in there off hours and making sure that things people touch on a normal basis are getting wiped down," said Mikic.

This video shows his gym in the days long before social distancing was a household word--let alone a common practice. But even then gym members were asked to wipe down equipment and wash hands. Mikic says besides the extra cleaning classes sizes aren't as large as they were before the lockdown which could change in phase 2.

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Joslyn Jackson of the Nail Bar is eager to return to the nail salon where safety has always been top priority.

Her industry will be allowed to reopen under phase 2 and even without a clear date or guidelines the Nail Bar is prepared to stagger appointment times and take other measures.

"We will have face shields instead of the whole desk shields because that's a lot, so I found some face shields that are really cute, because we still have to be cute. We're going to take temperatures with thermometers and sanitize like we always do," said Jackson.

Of those entering the next phase reopen nail salons and tattoo studios have gone without any type of income since the health crisis. They're waiting for their light to turn green.

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