SoCal salon owners worry latest order will close businesses for good

STUDIO CITY, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- It is a difficult time for many businesses, including salons. Many salon owners are frustrated by yet another shutdown and they say without financial assistance, it will be impossible to survive if their doors remain closed.

Salon owners who were once on board with earlier shut downs now say enough is enough.

"We don't know what to do. The debt is accumulating, and I'm already down $100,000 in rent that I owe my landlord," said Shai Amiel.

Amiel owns Capella Salon in Studio City. From physical distancing to sanitation to temperature checks, they've honored every health and safety requirement.

"If they're saying masks work and they're saying all these regulations to do hair in a salon were safe to do, why aren't they safe any longer?" asked Amiel.

He questions why big box stores get to remain open, while small businesses are barely surviving with little to no backup.

"The benefits have run out, which they were a joke anyways, and now we're forced to just stay home and take more loans to pay for our lives? It doesn't make sense," said Amiel.

In Hermosa Beach at the Londoner salon, owner Anthony Morrison has a similar message.

"Please, please, for the love of God, let us all go back to work," said Morrison. "Salons are being safe. We are all being safe out there."

He was fortunate to move his operation outside for much of the pandemic, but now even that isn't allowed.

"What - you want to put us all out of business Gov. Newsom? Really? Seriously?" said Morrison.

Morrison says the Payroll Protection Program did nothing for most hair salons and if you did get money, it wasn't even enough to cover one payroll.

"I was a fan of Gov. Newsom before. I'm not so much of a fan anymore, but, if we get some money, I might be a fan again," said Morrison.

Until then, he understands why many businesses are choosing to remain open.

"No one cares about us, so you gotta do what you've gotta do and whatever that is, it is," said Morrison.

Eyewitness News hears many salons are choosing to quietly remain open. Some stylists are even choosing to work out of their homes, just to make some money to survive.