LANCASTER, Pa. —
Lancaster County moved to the green phase of Gov. Tom Wolf's reopening plan June 26, more than 100 days since the first case of COVID-19 was reported in the county. The county was among the last counties to move to green.
From restaurants to retail, many businesses were able to reopen Friday for the first time in months.
Though it wasn’t exactly business as usual, business owners said they would do whatever it took to reopen in the “new normal.”
Redeux Vintage has been selling vintage clothing and other wares online since the pandemic shut down their physical location in Lancaster City.
“We’ve had to adapt and do things we really don’t like to do like posting our collection online,” said Redeux Vintage co-owner Avery Devoe. “We’re really up close and personal people, and we depend on our salesmanship to sell things.”
The store opened with limited hours two weeks ago, during the county’s yellow phase. Even in the first weekend of green phase, however, Devoe said customer flow was still a trickle compared to normal peak summer season.
”It’s still going to take a few weeks ’til I think it sets in,” Devoe said. “I’m sure everyone knows it’s green but still people are kind of hesitant to get out there.”
Even when locals start coming back in bigger numbers, Devoe said the store would still lose some business from a lack of tourists. Many tourism events scheduled during the summer were cancelled.
Other businesses in Lancaster City were overwhelmed with customers on reopening weekend. Anthology Salon and Style Bar owner Amanda Rush said she was booked solid since Friday, with unshorn customers eager to get their first professional haircut in months.
“We’ve seen all types of quarantine hair: haircuts at home, bad hair color,” Rush said.
Rush was hoping to make up for more than three months of lost income by working six days a week, up from the two she used to come in. Anthology Salon has also had to adapt, particularly with the challenge of trimming short hair while customers keep their masks on.
“It can be a little bit challenging around the ear, just because the hair goes right there,” Rush said. “So we just work around it.”
Other businesses allowed to reopen on Friday included gyms, nail salons, movie theaters and indoor malls, though all must limit how many people can come inside at once.
Restaurants in green phase can offer dine-in service again, but only at up to 50 percent capacity.
Still, business owners expressed a cautious optimism for the near future.
“I think overall it’s a positive feeling that things are going to keep snowballing,” Devoe said.
Sixty-six of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties are now in green phase. Lebanon County remains the only county in yellow phase.
