New Jersey governor takes steps toward ending COVID-19 restrictions, opening beaches
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy on decision to reopen, precautions in place to keep residents safe amid pandemic.
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A New Jersey salon owner, whose business has been shuttered for nearly two months, says he’s “had enough” and plans on reopening June 1 despite Gov. Phil Murphy’s coronavirus restrictions.
George Verdis, the 40-year-old owner of Brick & Mirror Beauty in Parsippany, told NJ.com his business has lost tens of thousands of dollars since being forced to close as part of the state’s effort to slow the spread of COVID-19.
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“I’ve had enough,” Verdis told the outlet. “We’ve closed long enough.”
Verdis is just one of many small business owners across the country who say they can no longer afford to stay closed. But many who reopened have faced consequences from their respective states.
In Michigan, a 77-year-old barber had his license stripped by the state for reopening, while a salon owner was issued a cease-and-desist letter. Another salon owner in Dallas was fined and briefly jailed for reopening.
Verdis’ fellow New Jerseyean Ian Smith, owner of Atilis Gym in Bellmawr, told Fox News’ “Tucker Carlson Tonight” last week that “Murphy has presented zero plans” for reopening certain businesses. He said he has come up with his own plan to keep customers safe when reopening Monday against the state’s orders.
"We got to the point where I’ve watched many businesses around me collapse, I’ve watched people lose their jobs and there’s no progress moving forward," Smith said.
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Personal-care businesses like salons and barbers have been closed in New Jersey since March 19 as part of Murphy’s executive order to help curb the spread of the coronavirus. No date for when these types of businesses can reopen has been announced.
Verdis, who has owned the salon since 2014, told the outlet his 11 full-time employees and two part-time workers will wear masks and gloves as part of customer safety measures. He said workers will only be allowed to service one customer at a time and disinfect workstations between clients.
Murphy has begun relaxing restrictions across the state, with nonessential construction able to resume and nonessential retail businesses to reopen for curbside pickup beginning Monday. He also announced last week that beaches across the state will reopen in time for the Memorial Day holiday weekend.
But if salons remain closed, Verdis told the outlet that he’s prepared to fight if the state strikes back against his reopening.
“I’ll go all the way,” he said. “I have a legal team ready.”
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New Jersey has reported at least 146,334 confirmed coronavirus cases and 10,356 deaths as of Sunday, according to state health department data.
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