November 25, 2020
ARROJO NYC is an independent hairdressing business with 2 cosmetology schools and 3 hair salons located in Williamsburg, and Tribeca and Hudson Square. When New York City went on lockdown, Arrojo had to close one of its salons and one of its schools, forcing the brand to lay off some of its staff, many who are women and the primary caregivers to their children. For those who were not let go, the additional responsibility of providing childcare and distance-learning while working has been difficult.
Arrojo has also felt the burden of complying with new protocols and procedures to keep New Yorkers safe. The business, which already adhered to strict safety and sanitation protocols as per state licensing requirements, was additionally required to retrofit existing spaces to comply with new rules. While costly and frustrating for a business that already does the utmost to keep clients safe, Arrojo’s owner understood the need for these measures. However, new mandates only allow salons to operate at 50% capacity, so recouping the money spent to be able to continue working through the pandemic is difficult, as it is for stylists to earn the same income that they were pre-pandemic.
Still Arrojo is working hard to continue providing quality service to its clients while supporting its employees. The Arrojo school have been operating distance learning programs and returned to in person classes at 50% capacity in August. Since reopening the salon, there have been no positive COVID-19 cases and the business is subsidizing some of its employees income to encourage them to return to work.
