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Long Island enters Phase Two of reopening
Long Island has finally taken a step towards its new normal, entering Phase Two of reopening.
NEW YORK - For Jade Feuerborn - Long Island officially entering Phase Two of reopening was a day she had been waiting for. It meant the 10-year-old could finally donate her hair.
“I was really looking forward to it,” Feuerborn said.
Salon Mayne in Roslyn opened its doors on Wednesday for the first time since mid-March and like everyone else, they too are following a lengthy list of safety rules - including temperature checks, separated seating, and constant sanitization.
“We could only run two hairdressers, one colorist, one shampoo person, and one receptionist where normally we’d be double that if not more,” Rottkamp said.
Co-owner Wayne Rottkamp is relieved to reopen but says operating under these conditions will be a challenge.
And the dining industry is faced with a similar scenario. Customers trickled into Borrelli’s Restaurant in East Meadow on Wednesday to dine al fresco. A portion of the parking lot is now a patio area - the cost around $30,000. Owner Frank Borrelli says with business down 80%, he didn’t have much of a choice.
“I’m here 65 years,” said Borrelli. “I’ve been working here since ten. It’s hard.”
Restaurants opening for outdoor dining must follow guidelines set by the state including disposable menus and tables set six feet apart.
But not all restaurant owners are as fortunate to be able even to offer outdoor dining. Downtowns and Main Streets where some restaurants have smaller spaces still have to wait until the state's approval.
Hermanas Kitchen & Cocktails was only open for a few weeks before COVID-19. While they’re one of the restaurants unable to reopen for lack of outdoor space, owners Sara, Kristen, and Lauren are trying to stay optimistic.
“There’s a light at the end of the tunnel,” said co-owner Sara Pesserillo. “You just got to get there.”
One step closer to the new normal.