IGK Salon Just Reopened In Miami—Here’s Everything They Did To Prepare

Here’s Everything IGK Salon In Miami Did To Safely Reopen 

As of today, IGK Salon’s Miami location is officially open to the public. The 22-chair salon pre-COVID had been scaled down to 13 or 14 chairs spaced 6 feet apart to safely accommodate its 35 employees and their clients. BTC talked to the sibling half of IGK’s Founders Franck Izquierdo (@franckhair) and Leo Izquierdo (@leohairofficial) to see what the brand has done to prepare for reopening during COVID-19.

The reality is that you can’t open back up with the old salon standards—that would put your team and your clients at risk. IGK has taken the time in the weeks going into reopening to completely change the layout of the salon, invest in the proper cleaning supplies and PPE for employees and rethink its business strategy. 

Disclaimer: Every state has different safety requirements and laws, so check with your state government for more specific instructions.

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by IGK SALONS (@igksalons) on May 18, 2020 at 11:11am PDT

1. Employee Safety Is The Number One Priority

One of the most important steps for reopening was to ensure that the employees felt comfortable and safe in the salon. “For us it’s not about money, it’s about safety right now. We want people to feel relaxed,” says Franck. To ensure that, IGK has implemented these steps:

• Purchased white jumpsuits and clear glasses for employees to wear to work.

   

• Temperature checks outside of the salon before entering.

   

• Accommodated staff with scheduling preferences and separated shifts into two time blocks to maintain social distancing.

   

• Hired an outside cleaning staff to regularly clean the salon.

2. Revamp The Salon Layout

IGK Salon in Miami originally featured a 22-chair salon, but that old layout wouldn’t work once it was time to reopen. Along with slimming down the number of stations to around 13- to 14-chairs, the salon also removed its waiting area entirely. 

To ensure that customers and stylists would feel comfortable, glass panels were installed in between each station and plexi panels were added on both sides of the salon’s eight sinks. “Everybody knows color takes two hours minimum so we need people not to be in the box, but we want separation between clients so people feel more secure and also feel like they are with people,” says Franck.

Take A Look Inside IGK Salon’s Miami Location During The Revamping Process!

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Franck Izquierdo (@franckhair) on May 4, 2020 at 3:09pm PDT

3. Purchase The Proper Cleaning Supplies

The salon has adopted a strict cleaning regiment to ensure everyone’s safety. “We bought gallons of alcohol, wipes, [because] the cleaning is going to be [the] most important,” says Franck. “We’ll have at least four people all day just making sure the salon is clean. A loop all the time of cleaning.”

Hard surfaces and glass will be disinfected with Ecolab Disinfectant Cleaner Spray, which kills coronavirus in five minutes. Plus, UV lights will be placed in the HVAC unit to kill germs. 

4. Booking Clients & Saving Time On Services

IGK Salon’s Miami location already had a waiting list before they reopened. Priority booking was given to clients who had a previous appointment that was cancelled because of coronavirus. To keep things running smoothly, here’s what Franck and Leo have planned for services:

• The salon will be taking full color service clients.

   

• There will not be any blowdrying in the beginning to cut the appointment time by 30 to 40 percent.

5. Purchasing Retail

Clients will not be allowed to purchase retail at the salon to avoid crowding at the front desk. If clients want to purchase IGK products, they can find them at IGKhair.com, Ulta Beauty and Sephora. Stylists can also make a 30 percent commission selling IGK products to their clients through the brands Affiliate Program, which you can learn more about here.

Want To Know How To Rebuild Your Salon Brand & Culture During Quarantine? Click Here!