Chris Young, owner of Prima Capelli Salon in Center Township, has added Plexiglass dividers between stations at his hair salon along Route 8, as well as other safety measures like multiple air purifiers, in preparation for when the business is allowed to reopen.

Frustrations linger for salons hoping to reopen.

“I'm just really disappointed that Gov. (Tom) Wolf has vetoed a bipartisan bill to give the people the power to make the decisions that best suit their areas,” said Chris Young, owner of the still-closed Prima Capelli Salon in Center Township. “This blanket approach doesn't work.”

On Tuesday, Wolf vetoed two house bills. House Bill 2388 would reopen auto dealerships, hair salons, barbershops, lawn and garden centers, pet groomers, messenger services and manufacturing. House Bill 2412 would reopen the real estate industry.

Later Tuesday, Wolf signed an executive order allowing the real estate industry to return to work under certain constraints.

But the salons and barbershops of the commonwealth stayed closed.

“We were crushed yet again,” said Nancy Gifford, owner of Double Image Styling Salon in Butler Township. “We have been crushed every time he changes his mind.”

The governor also vetoed Senate Bill 327, which would have given county governments the option to develop and implement their own plans to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. It would allow industries that have not already been deemed essential to operate if it is safe to do so.

In a statement Tuesday, Wolf said he vetoed the bills because they violated the separation of powers and infringed on his measured plan for reopening the state.

“The decisions to move counties from the red phase to the yellow phase are based on the advice of expert epidemiologists,” Wolf said. “These decisions are not based just on the number of cases of COVID-19, but are also based on other critical factors, such as how community members interact, the county's number of potential transmission points, a county's geographic location, the capacity to undertake contact tracing, and testing availability.”

On behalf of their businesses, both Gifford and Young were listed as plaintiffs in a lawsuit against Wolf and Levine, which was backed by Butler and three other counties.

In a statement released Tuesday, Al Lindsay, chairman of the Butler County Republican Committee, said the committee stood behind the lawsuit.

“We invite all of our Butler County citizens, as a county … Democrats and Republicans, business owners, employees, men, women and children … to unite as we pull out of this unprecedented crisis with courage and good will toward all,” he said.

Gifford said her business remains closed, but she remembers when state Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine in April said salons would be included with businesses allowed to reopen in the yellow phase, but when Wolf made the first announcement of counties moving to yellow in May, salons were not allowed to reopen.

She said she normally sees some clients as much as once per week. She said some people come because they can't do their own hair. For others, it's like therapy, where they can vent or just let their problems fall away for a little while.“Our customers need us very, very badly,” Gifford said.“It's definitely good for our mental health to have our hair done.”Marianne Hill of Sarver said having her hair trimmed to her liking is a great feeling.“I hate long hair on me,” she said. “Mine is so long and shaggy right now it's crazy.”Hill said she has always found a trip to the salon to be relaxing, a place to socialize and to vent. She said it's also nice to look good when you leave.“I totally understand the need to be careful,” Hill said. “I do think they should be open as long as they follow the guidelines.”Since his initial announcements of what businesses can open in the yellow phase, Wolf has bent on some issues. Originally, pet groomers could not operate in any phase, but later in guidance offered to veterinarians, pet groomers were allowed to work under some constraints in yellow or green phases.Pets in Butler County, which is in the yellow phase currently, may get their hair cut, but people cannot.“I like to be treated fairly, and we are not being treated fairly,” Young said. “We should never tell someone they cannot do something, and somebody else can. No government official has the right to do that.”Young and Gifford both believe they can reopen their shops safely. They both referenced standardized sanitation that has been in place for years.“We are trained by the state to sanitize,” said Gifford, who had Plexiglas installed between each of her stations. “That's how we pass our boards. That's the first thing we learn is sanitization.”According to the state Board of Cosmetology's codes, salons, barber shops and other cosmetology businesses have to adhere to strict sterilization procedures, almost like a dental office.“I can guarantee you that our salon is better equipped than any of these large corporations that are allowed to remain open,” Young said. “We're actually better equipped to keep our customers safe than they are.”Young said he installed Plexiglas between his stations too.“I purchased HEPA-13 air purifying machines. I am stocked up on disinfectants, sanitary wipes, masks, shields, gloves,” he said. “We are able to have customers wait in their car until it's their turn. We can operate our business within the guidelines of yellow very easily.”Gifford said she knows that lawsuits take time to affect change, but she wants to return to work now. She said she wants the governor to understand that the power to decide to patronize a business should be in the hands of the people.“The people who aren't afraid should have a choice to get their hair done,” she said. “It shouldn't be his choice.”

Chris Young, owner of Prima Capelli Salon, says his hair salon is fully stocked with disinfectants, sanitary wipes, masks and other means to protect customers and staff from the coronavirus. “I can guarantee you that our salon is better equipped than any of these large corporations that are allowed to remain open,” he said.