Owners of hair and nail salons, barber shops and other businesses offering personal beauty services are eligible for $2,000 grants from Shelby County.
COVID-19 shutdowns hit these brick and mortar “close contact” shops—which also include tattoo and massage parlors—particularly hard. They also faced a laundry list of new health requirements to open back up, which officials say comes at a significant cost to business owners.
The grant fund, dubbed “Our Beautiful Comeback,” will distribute a total of $1 million to help businesses defray some of these expenses, such as additional personal protective equipment and sanitation supplies.
“We’ve heard over and over again from that business sector about what shuttering their business has done for their livelihoods and for their clients,” says County Commissioner Mickell Lowery. “We’re hoping these grants will be able to number one: if it has to recoup some lost funds then great, but to help put that business in a better position to service their clients in a safe environment.”
Grants will be available until the money runs out.