Milwaukee County issued the “Covid-19 Public Health Plan for Suburban Milwaukee County” Thursday morning.
It covers 18 municipalities in Milwaukee County, except for the City of Milwaukee. The municipalities included are: Cudahy, Franklin, Greendale, Greenfield, Hales Corners, Oak Creek, South Milwaukee, St Francis, Wauwatosa, West Allis, and West Milwaukee. It also includes North Shore suburbs: Bayside, Brown Deer, Fox Point, Glendale, River Hills, Shorewood and Whitefish Bay.
The health plan allows hair salons, barber shops, nail salons, day spas, electrolysis providers, waxing salons, eyebrow-care establishments, tattoo parlors, body art establishments, and tanning facilities to open, with social distancing and other protective measures in place.
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Licensed child care facilities and daycare centers can also start operating at 25 percent capacity.
Retail establishments, including shopping malls, may open as long as patrons are limited to 25 percent of the building's occupancy limits.
Restaurants and bars can still only offer curbside food pick-up, carry-out, and delivery.
Less than 24 hours after Limanski’s Pub in West Allis opened to patrons Wednesday night, it’s quickly back to carry out and curbside food pick-up only.
The owner of Limanski’s says the bar has received harassing calls and social media messages since opening to bar patrons just hours after the Wisconsin Supreme Court overturned the statewide Safer at Home Order, and the Wisconsin Tavern League sent out guidance that opening was allowed.
As for suburban Milwaukee County salons, spas, daycares, shops and malls, most remained closed Thursday.
Honeycomb Salon in Whitefish Bay is one example of a salon that will reopen slowly starting this Saturday. In addition to extra disinfecting measures between and during appointments, all clients must wear a mask and come alone. Clients must stay in their cars until a stylist gives them okay to enter the salon. Upon entering, there will be a hand-sanitizing station.
After preparing to open Thursday, Transcending Salon and Spa in Glendale, has decided to delay its opening until June 1st.
“After talking to a lot of my stylists, and even some clients, it kind of hit me like a ton of bricks, are we really ready for this?” said owner Antoi Johns. “We want a very smooth transition, and everyone to be happy, but overall the most important thing is for everyone to feel safe, and be healthy.”
Many daycare owners are sharing a similar sentiment. Trini-dad’s Child Development Center in Greenfield, is also looking to reopen in June, even though it could do so earlier now.
“My employees are collecting unemployment, and are still nervous about coming back and possibly being exposed to Covid-19,” said owner Selwyn Jarvis. “A lot of the supplies we need to effectively clean the day care every day are still not widely accessible and on back order. I’ve ordered a bunch of thermometers so we can check the staff’s temperatures, as well as the children that come into the facility, as a protective measure. But, there’s a lot to consider and still prepare for.”
When it comes to major malls in suburban Milwaukee County, Southridge Mall say opening plans have not yet been announced. Mayfair Mall also remains closed for now, with some retailers offering curbside pickup. Bayshore Town Center says individual guidelines are set by each store or restaurant.