Area Business Owners Excited To Welcome Back Customers As Beaver County Is In The 'Green' Phase
BEAVER COUNTY, Pa. (KDKA/AP) -- Yellow, no more. Beaver County is now in the 'green' phase of re-opening.
Beaver was the last county in Southwestern Pennsylvania to move to the 'green' phase of re-opening during the Coronavirus pandemic.
KDKA's Lisa Washington reports today that business owners are thrilled to welcome in their customers.
The Beaver County residents KDKA talked to say that they were more than ready to move into the 'green' phase.
Being in the 'green' phase means they can now visit the hair salon and dine in at their favorite restaurants.
It's been three months since Emily O'Leary went to the hair salon.
Friday morning, she arrived early for a cut and color.
"When Kelli reached out to me to make an appointment, I was ecstatic. I couldn't wait to come in. It was refreshing," said Emily O'Leary of beaver.
Kelli Pisano owns Kelli's cuts. She says her schedule is full for the next few weeks.
"There's very few spots over the next couple of weeks for any of the staff. So we all are working, some are working six days a week, some are working seven days a week, and we've extended the hours on every single day," said Pisano.
Inside the salon, customers will notice the shower curtains between shampoo bowls, hand sanitizer and wipes at all the stations, and everyone has a to wear a mask.
Tami Reed doesn't like wearing a mask.
"It's hard to breathe with it, and i just don't wear it," said Reed, a resident of Beaver.
She joined her friends for coffee Friday morning.
Tami believes Beaver County should've been moved to the 'green' phase sooner.
"Beaver, the town of Beaver, I don't think we had a coronavirus case, but Brighton Wellness Center had many, so, we ready for green a long time ago," said Reed.
"It was frustrating not to be able to move to the green when everyone else did, but we are thankful we are here now," said Kristi Harper, owner of Cafe Kolache.
Being in the green phase means customers can now enjoy the sandwiches and treats from Cafe Kolache inside the restaurant, or outdoors.
In the green phase, Beaver County residents now more have choices.
By next Friday, 54 of 67 counties will have been designated green.
Remaining in the more restrictive yellow phase are Philadelphia and southeastern counties, where the coronavirus has had the worst impact; parts of the Poconos region, Lehigh Valley and northeastern Pennsylvania; and Erie, Lebanon and Lancaster counties.
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