The owners of salons and barbershops across New Jersey say that they have plans in place to protect customers from COVID-19 if they are allowed to reopen for business.

But the owners say that they feel forgotten by Gov. Phil Murphy for the fact that they were not included in the nonessential businesses that will be allowed to reopen next week.

“We aren’t trying to rebel. We aren’t trying to do things wrong. We want to do things correctly,” says salon owner Jack Panico.

Panico says that he and 300 shop owners have come up with plans to reopen safely.

“We sanitize their stations. We are social distancing through the whole salon. We even have dividers,” he says.

Panico says that customers would have their temperatures checked before they will be allowed inside the shops, and all employees would have masks and gloves. Each station will be eight feet apart.

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The governor signed an executive order on Wednesday to allow nonessential businesses to reopen with curbside pickup. Nonessential construction could also resume.

The salon owners say that their brick-and-mortar shops are safer than what is happening inside of homes. Panico says that people are cutting their hair cut or colored inside their kitchens or on front porches from out of work hair stylists.

“Don’t you think it’s a lot safer to be in a controlled, sanitized, safe environment? Because they’re doing it anyway,” he says.

Panico and the owner owners say that they are hoping that the governor allows them to reopen soon, because many may not be able to stay in business much longer.

Panico says that he has 100 employees who are prepared to re-start work under the new conditions.