If it’s legal to spend all afternoon browsing for shoes and jewelry at Macy’s surrounded by other shoppers, they wondered, why couldn’t they let their customers sit on the terrace or come inside for a quick wax? They point to ever-changing and arbitrary rules about what’s allowed to be open and under what conditions, and say they have been disproportionately affected while big businesses such as supermarkets, mall operators and major retail chains are open with few limitations. Those are serious penalties, but many small-business owners believe the risk is worth it.

But with still-high infection rates, low hospital bed availability and new, more dangerous coronavirus variants, many are skeptical about how long this reopening will last.

In Los Angeles County, personal care services were allowed to open immediately and outdoor dining can resume Friday. “Even when the government was giving us stimulus and unemployment, it wasn’t enough.”ĭespite the lifting of statewide stay-at-home orders Monday, business owners remain uneasy. “I have a son to feed and to support, and rent to pay, and it was just getting too hard to not work at all,” said hairstylist Joanna Ho, 40. It’s simply to make ends meet, and in the absence of sufficient financial assistance and clear guidance, they have been relying on themselves - and discreet customers they can trust - to do it. But those who have been operating for months under the radar say their decision isn’t a repudiation of face masks, social distancing or government overreach, or about enabling parties during a pandemic.

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