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Phase 3: Nail salons, indoor dining now allowed to resume service

Many businesses welcome the ability to reopen, but question whether customers will follow.

BUFFALO, N.Y. — As Western New York enters Phase 3, 2 On Your Side is taking a look at businesses that are reopening. While some local businesses welcome reopening, some aren’t opening their doors just yet.

Nick Patillo, the owner of Osteria 166 in downtown Buffalo says he plans on opening Thursday, to allow for sufficient time to train staff on safety protocols.

As of Tuesday, restaurants in Western New York can offer indoor dining. But, there are numerous restrictions in place, with no more than 50 percent capacity allowed. Tables and bar stools need to be at least six feet apart, and employees need to wear masks at all times — customers need to wear a mask as well, but not at your table.

Patillo says there are a lot of unknowns on how business will go.

"I think everybody is welcoming the opportunity to do it I think we're all kind of cautious on how it's going to go and is it enough most of us struggle to make money at 100 percent occupancy," he said.

We've seen many restaurants establish or expand their outdoor seating, trying to get customers to come back after weeks of only being allowed to do curbside pickup and delivery.

Phase 3 also includes tattoo parlors, nail salons, tanning salons and spas.

2 On Your Side talked to the owner of the Bellezza Salon in Williamsville who says with all the restrictions in place due to COVID-19, it'll be tough to actually make money.

The salon has made a lot of preparations with plexiglass barriers on manicure tables. To practice social distancing, two clients max can be taken at a time. 

Personal care services are recommended to reduce their hours to allow for proper time to disinfect. 

The salon says all of the restrictions, while they were predicted from what Phase 2 businesses had to do, can make it tough on small salons. 

"In our industry especially a nail technician we don't have big ticket clients and numbers ours is volume and getting people in and servicing them in an hour an hour and a half so I think it's very hard," said Jennifer Wiepert who owns the salon.    

She says that a lot of salon and spa owners have been on Facebook groups learning from each other.

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