Covid-19: Patna salons fail to attract customers

By Archi Rani
PATNA: Salons and barber shops in the city have reopened with social distancing norms in place, but majority of them are struggling to attract customers amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
The owner of a small beauty parlour in Kadamkuan, Shobha Kumari, claimed that the number of customers visiting her had dropped drastically after the lockdown.
“Although my parlour was closed for two months, I had to pay the rent. If there are no customers now, I am afraid I will have to shut this parlour permanently. I wonder what I will do after that because my entire family is dependent on me,” Shobha told this newspaper on Wednesday.
Romi Singh, who runs a unisex salon on Saguna Mor, also rued the sudden fall in the number of customers. “Earlier, at least 10 women would come here for manicures, pedicures, facials or haircuts every day. Now, only men are visiting the salon for haircuts,” she said.
To bring back its regular customers, another unisex salon in Kankarbagh is sending them text messages. Salon manager Raj Yadav said, “Even if the lockdown restrictions have been lifted, people are scared of stepping out of their houses. We have, therefore, started sending text and WhatsApp messages, pictures and videos to our customers to show them that we are taking all the precautionary measures to contain the spread of coronavirus.”
He, however, hoped that the business would get back on track soon.
Many Patnaites asserted that they would continue to stay at home and avoid non-essential services. Kadamkuan resident Hansika said, “The number of corona-infected patients is rising and I do not need anything that is not essential right now. Hence, I am trying not to go out.”