SEATTLE — Hair salons are going through another wave of financial woes.
After coming out of several months of closures and restrictions implemented throughout the pandemic, salons are saying they’re encountering several cancellations everyday due to a surge in COVID-19 omicron variant cases.
"I never would've opened a business four years ago if I knew what was coming," said Sarah Griffiths, the owner of Treo Organic Salon in West Seattle.
There has been a lot of uncertainty the past few years for many businesses. Especially for those in the cosmetology industry like the West Seattle salon, which is hanging on by a thread to stay afloat.
"We're barely even in the green zone of things being back to normal and then we just get bombarded with another wave of a financial loss," Griffiths said.
That loss Griffiths is referring to is connected to the surge in omicron cases plaguing the Puget Sound, causing many of her clients to cancel their appointments.
"They're often last-minute cancellations where we can't fill them, and a lot of times appointments are two- to three-hours long. So, sometimes it's half of our shifts that are getting cancelled," Griffiths said.
Treo Organic Salon doesn't have a cancellation fee for those who are sick or test positive for COVID. But Griffiths said, understandably, other cosmetology businesses are starting to implement one.
"It doesn't feel right to charge them if they're sick and I think that some people might feel financially obligated to come then. Like, they can't afford not to come, so they would come anyways and expose us, and we don't want to be exposed. So, that's the conundrum. We're kind of stuck between a rock and hard place," Griffiths said.
Griffiths is grateful for all her clients continuing to support her business. But said she doesn't know how much longer she'll be able to serve them.
"We think we're in a good spot and then the next thing happens,” Griffiths said. “So, what will happen when the next variant comes? What will happen if it's worse? Will we able to survive?"