DENVER — A hair salon on Colfax opened on Sunday as the owner watched as her husband took down the boards they had placed over the windows.
As businesses welcome customers again or make plans to reopen, there's a focus on local resources. That support could come in the form of a grant, navigating new guidelines or helping acquire masks.
"The other thing that we're asking them to do is to contact us with any kind of like bottlenecks in their supply chain of what they're looking for, that might be masks, it might be hand sanitizer, it might be the plexiglass shields at the cash registers," said Frank Locantore, Executive Director for the Colfax Ave. Business Improvement District.
The Colfax Ave. BID is fundraising in order to purchase safety equipment that can be handed out to local businesses. One way they plan to raise money is by selling T-shirts.
Locantore is also advocating for businesses that will have their capacity reduced by social distancing requirements. He joined other leaders and sent a letter to the mayor asking the city to open public spaces for businesses.
"Doing that could mean opening up some space on the sidewalk or in their parking lot because there are not as many customers coming or they're coming at staggered levels," said Locantore.
As Salon Lucid reopened, others are still forced to wait like the brand new taproom for Bruz Beers near Colfax and York.
"We've got a great patio setup here, and we've got already socially distanced chairs, and we already have a plan in place on how to spread people out and control the crowds and do it safely," said Ryan Evans, the owner of Bruz Beers.
Evans appreciates the guidance from the Colfax Ave. BID as he tries to make plans for the future. He's also hoping the city will allow him to use the sidewalk in front of his restaurant to set up additional tables.
"That idea is I think critical in getting this movement to reopening and reopening safely. We can't just reopen, and we all know that so it's gotta take that kind of creativity and that foresight," said Evans.