Plenty of Orange County residents were willing to wait in lines, wear masks and slather their hands with sanitizer on Monday, Aug. 31, for the chance to refresh their wardrobes or fix their scraggly quarantine coifs.
More businesses were allowed to reopen under new state guidelines announced Friday, and some rushed to welcome customers back.
Although Orange County’s coronavirus case rates and hospitalizations have been trending down in the past few weeks, the county was put in the most restrictive tier of a new color-coded system rolled out last week. But salons and barber shops and indoor malls still were allowed to reopen, with restrictions.
John Guevara, 28, co-owner of Rubio Barber Shop in Santa Ana, said he didn’t agree with the state’s previous business shutdowns.
“I’m licensed through the state,” he said, “And we already take extreme caution to be safe.”
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A woman walks past displays at The Webster at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa, CA on Monday, August 31, 2020. The mall was able to reopen as businesses come out of COVID-19 restrictions. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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Women window shop at Cartier at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa, CA on Monday, August 31, 2020 as a sign, at left, explains the malls safety measures. The mall was able to reopen as businesses come out of COVID-19 restrictions. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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A woman cleans in front of Cartier at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa, CA on Monday, August 31, 2020. The mall was able to reopen as businesses come out of COVID-19 restrictions. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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Shoppers pass a fountain at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa, CA on Monday, August 31, 2020. The mall was able to reopen as businesses come out of COVID-19 restrictions. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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Shoppers wait in line at Zara before the store opens at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa, CA on Monday, August 31, 2020. The mall was able to reopen as businesses come out of COVID-19 restrictions. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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A woman cleans at La Perla at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa, CA on Monday, August 31, 2020. The mall is requiring masks and distancing and is cleaning frequently after being closed following COVID-19 restrictions. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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A shopper takes a break near the corousel at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa, CA on Monday, August 31, 2020. The mall was able to reopen as businesses come out of COVID-19 restrictions. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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South Coast Plaza is requiring masks, distancing and one-way traffic as they reopen in Costa Mesa, CA on Monday, August 31, 2020. More than 100 shops and 20 restaurants reopened following COVID-19 restrictions. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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South Coast Plaza is requiring masks, distancing and trying for one-way traffic as they reopen in Costa Mesa, CA on Monday, August 31, 2020. More than 100 shops and 20 restaurants reopened following COVID-19 restrictions. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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Shoppers wait in line to enter a Gucci at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa, CA on Monday, August 31, 2020. The mall was able to reopen as businesses come out of COVID-19 restrictions. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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Shoppers wait in line to enter a store at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa, CA on Monday, August 31, 2020. The mall was able to reopen as businesses come out of COVID-19 restrictions. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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South Coast Plaza is requiring masks, distancing and trying for one-way traffic as they reopen in Costa Mesa, CA on Monday, August 31, 2020. More than 100 shops and 20 restaurants reopened following COVID-19 restrictions. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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Signs on the door of Kate Spade let shoppers know the store will open soon at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa, CA on Monday, August 31, 2020. The mall was able to reopen as businesses come out of COVID-19 restrictions. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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South Coast Plaza is requiring masks, distancing and one-way traffic as they reopen in Costa Mesa, CA on Monday, August 31, 2020. More than 100 shops and 20 restaurants reopened following COVID-19 restrictions. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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Shoppers wait in line to enter a store at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa, CA on Monday, August 31, 2020. The mall was able to reopen as businesses come out of COVID-19 restrictions. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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South Coast Plaza is requiring masks, distancing and one-way traffic as they reopen in Costa Mesa, CA on Monday, August 31, 2020. More than 100 shops and 20 restaurants reopened following COVID-19 restrictions. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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Hair stylist Alex Medina works on client Fidel Alonso’s hair at Rubio Barber Shop in Santa Ana on Monday, August 31, 2020. Gov. Newsom announced new guidelines to allow barbershops to reopen. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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Stylists at Rubio Barber Shop in Santa Ana work on hair after Gov. Newsom announced new guidelines to allow barbershops to reopen on Monday, August 31, 2020. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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John Guevara, 28, co-owner of Rubio Barber Shop in Santa Ana, said he didn’t agree with the state’s last two coronavirus shutdowns. “I’m licensed through the state,” he said, “And we already take extreme caution to be safe.” Gov. Newsom announced new guidelines to allow barbershops to reopen on Monday, August 31, 2020. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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Reina Rubio and her son John Guevara co-own Rubio Barber Shop in Santa Ana. Gov. Newsom announced new guidelines to allow barbershops to reopen on Monday, August 31, 2020. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
But as business trickled in Monday, Guevara remained optimistic and said he hopes he’ll soon be able to start paying off bills instead of relying on his savings.
“We are a family owned, old-fashioned business,” he said. “The community helps us stay strong.”
In Costa Mesa, Mayor Katrina Foley had several reasons to be glad about South Coast Plaza’s reopening.
Sales tax from the mall filled with luxury stores typically makes up about a third of the city’s operating budget, Foley said. But also, after months of staying home, residents “feel kind of a sense of excitement when something that’s normal happens,” she said.
As for pandemic safety, Foley said, “I feel comfortable that the plaza has the best practices in place of probably any shopping center in America,” including a new germ-destroying ventilation system, free masks and sanitizing wipes for customers who need them, limited capacity and options including curbside pickup and by-appointment shopping in a refurbished parking structure.
Lorraine Leavitt of Newport Beach is a South Coast Plaza regular who turned out Monday. She was excited about the reopening because the mall has a number of stores she likes to visit, she said.
“I love to see the stores open, and schools … but safety first. And they’re doing that here,” she said.
Jennifer Piantanida of Laguna Beach said she’s bought some things online, but she wanted to get out of the house to scratch her shopping itch.
“I was super happy to get back to some normalcy,” she said.
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