Since COVID-19 …
When quarantine hit and we were all faced with shutting down, my first thought was how am I going to pay my bills? My rent for the salon is more than all of my other bills and living expenses combined. Once I reconciled the fact that I couldn’t stress about situations that hadn’t happened yet I began to think about the other things that would be missed during this - the human connection.
On average, prior to COVID-19, Taylor & York would see about 20-30 guests per day. Everyday I’m engaged in stimulating conversations about everything from culture and politics to stories about career and family. My visits to the salon became like tuning in to your favorite television show every Sunday evening!
So, when COVID-19 hit, in what seemed like overnight, we were left with nothing. No follow-ups, no conversations, no hugs, no happy faces, or tears — nothing.
Once the reality of not seeing our clients on a weekly basis became clear to all of us I began to receive emails about bow much our clients actually missed us! They missed our conversations. They missed the moments where the entire salon would exchange ideas about polarizing moments in culture or politics. They missed the. random connections made when you chime in on a discussion happening right next to you with another stylist and their client. We received countless messages about how much folks just missed being here in our space.
None of us realized just how much we would miss each other and these interactions. So, now that we are back we’re learning how to make the most of every single day that we’re fortunate enough to step through that door.
The T&Y salon experience is more than just hair — it always has been. But how that we’ve experienced COVID-19 I’m recognizing how much the experience really means to clients and to our staff. I’m more selective and intentional of who I schedule because our collective time is valuable and it’s important to be careful of who we share our energy with.
So I’ll leave you with this. Whether you’re someone’s stylist or a client, practice intentionality with who you’re giving your time to. Protect it. Cherish and value the relationships you care about — even if those relationships are simple moments of bonding and exchanging thoughts at the salon.
