Some semblance of normalcy has returned to Ancaster as hair salons, spas and restaurants with patios have taken advantage of the province easing restrictions to allow reopening as of June 19.

“It will be a challenge at the beginning,” said Jennifer Giancola, owner of Hair by Nature located in the Ancaster Meadowlands, which welcomed customers June 22.

“This first week will be something. But it will get better.”

Giancola, who has owned and operated the business for 12 years, said she has been preparing to reopen her business with as many safety measures in place as possible.

“There has been so much to think about,” she said, adding she has created a booklet to train her staff. “I’ve had a very difficult time falling asleep.”

The salon will be open Monday to Saturday to accommodate her clientele. Physical distancing within the large salon will be practised, and all seating, equipment and materials will be continually cleaned.

The nine staff will have mask and shields and if a client doesn’t have a mask, Giancola has about 2,500 extras available.

She will have a staff member at the door directing traffic and offering hand sanitizer.

“Do you know how hard it is to get bottles of this with a pump?” said Giancola, pointing out a large bottle of sanitizer. She eventually found a company in Hamilton that produces the product.

One of the first customers to Hair by Nature was Ancaster Coun. Lloyd Ferguson, who had his hair trimmed by Jessie-Lynn Giancola, Jennifer’s daughter, in an effort to avoid “looking like a bum anymore.”

“I’ve being cutting Lloyd’s hair for about 14 years,” Jessie-Lynn said.

Ferguson said Ancaster residents and businesses have been doing their part to follow the physical distancing guidelines set by the province and the city. He said with the constant city announcements, the public may be too frightened to do anything else.

“I’m just a little concerned we have scared them a little too much,” he said.

Deb Stevenson, owner of Deb ‘n Hair, at 240 Wilson St. E., reopened on June 19. She expects to be busy for the next month responding to her customers.

Stevenson said her clientele will have to wear masks, and there will be dividers for physical distancing requirements.

“People have been very understanding,” said Stevenson, who has been in the business for 37 years. “I couldn’t ask for better customers.”

She said the phone has been ringing off the hook and customers are booked “well into” July.

For the first month under the new protocols, Giancola said they won’t be doing pedicures. But there are other tricky parts to the salon. Manicures would seem to be out because you can’t do them when people are wearing gloves, she said. And since people have masks on, it will be difficult to do a person’s upper lip and chin.

And Giancola won’t be able to offer her clients coffee, tea or any treats, something that a few of her regulars often appreciated.

“When I see one client’s name, I have to get Oreo cookies. He is an Oreo addict,” she said.

Her husband has remodelled the back rooms to allow for physical distancing, for both the clients and staff.

“A client can come in here and feel nice and safe,” she said.

Hair by Nature had been closed since March 18, so it has been a challenge during the preceding three months to be closed and waiting for the province to give the go-ahead to reopen.

She praises her staff for their efforts, and willingness to return to work under the current conditions, calling them “wonderful.”

Despite having to close down, and then reopen under strict health and safety conditions, Giancola feels fortunate to be still operating her business.

“It’s been a challenge for everybody today,” she said. “We are all in it together. We need to pull together to go forward.”

Mayor Fred Eisenberger said last week that when the province allowed Hamilton to enter Stage 2 of its reopening plan, he was “excited for a lot of companies, businesses and employees that have been anxious to get back to what they like to do.”

Under the Stage 2 scenario personal care services such as hair, and beauty salons, tattoo studios and day spas can open with proper health and safety protocols in place.

Bars and restaurants can also open, but for outdoor dining only. Hamilton’s spray pads are expected to be turned on over the next few weeks, while public pools are projected to take up to four weeks to reopen said Emergency Operations Director Paul Johnson.

Public beaches are officially open to the public, even though individuals have been using the beaches for a few weeks now.

Ferguson said restaurant owners have told him that they are afraid their customers will be hesitant to go out during a pandemic.

“They are very concerned if they do open up, they won’t get their customers back,” he said.

Several of Ancaster’s restaurants took advantage of the easing of restrictions with Sammy’s Bar and Grill on Wilson Street, opening its patio June 19 — with a few customers having breakfast taking advantage of the sunny, warm morning — while the Coach and Lantern on Wilson Street is taking reservations only for its patio seating from 12 to 9 p.m.

Brewer’s Blackbird, on Wilson Street, is also only taking reservations for its patio from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday and 12 to 9 p.m. on Saturday and Sundays.

Pub Fiction on Garner Road has an extended patio for the public that opened on June 17. It will be welcoming people from noon to 9 p.m., Wednesday to Saturday.