Hide No Hair: Barbers/Salons are Back

The sound of clippers buzzing through hair once again spilled out of the doorway at 237 W. Travis Street last Friday, the site of Ken’s Barber Shop on the La Grange Courthouse Square. Inside, barbers Ken Jurecka and Floyd Weishuhn worked on a pair of customers who’ve waited nearly two months for a trim. Another customer waited outside the door.

Friday, May 8, was the first day barbershops, hair salons, nail salons and tanning establishments could reopen in Texas as the state begins to emerge from the coronavirus shutdowns. Barbershops were ordered to close at the end of February.

“It’s good to be open, but now Floyd and I just need a little time to cut each other’s hair,” Jurecka joked.

Jurecka said all barbers in Texas are required to wear face coverings, but customers don’t have to wear one. Jurecka removed all but two chairs from his waiting area as a way of maintaining social distancing. Jurecka said he’s making sure everyone stays six feet apart as well.

Fayette County Emergency Management Chief Craig Moreau stopped by Jurecka’s shop Friday morning.

“He took a look at everything we’re doing and said we’re good to go,” Jurecka said.

Just the day before, Governor Greg Abbott amended his emergency orders to remove jail time for people charged with violating the orders. That cleared the way for the release of Shelly Luther, the Dallas salon owner who made headlines when au thorities there jailed her last week for reopening her business in defiance of the governor’s orders.

“She should have never been arrested in the first place,” Weishuhn said when asked about the news.