Barbershops, hair salons, gyms, restaurants and bars will not be among the area business that will start reopening Friday.

Here are what some people are doing to try and change that:

Local lawmaker proposes bill that would give waivers to hair salons and barbershops

Michelle Coleman’s McMurray hair salon sits empty like other salons across the state, with no guidance from the state on when they can reopen or what new measures they will have to put in place. They only know it will happen when the county moves to the green phase.

“Green is an unknown destination at this time — June, July, August, December. We have no idea,” said Coleman, the owner of Shear Integrity.

“There is actually only two barbers on staff currently, 12 feet apart. We are already double social distancing,” said Adam Stofella, who owns Fellas Barber Shop, with two locations in McDonald and McMurray. He showed us the check-in system they already installed that allows clients to wait in their car until their barber is ready while barbers follow stringent sanitizing procedures.

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At a recent news briefing, state health officials said it's impossible to practice social distancing when you have hands-on treatment and someone asymptomatic could pass COVID-19 to multiple clients in a day.

Meantime, state Rep. Lori Mizgorski has proposed a bill that would give waivers to hair salons and barbershops, and the House has moved the bill to third consideration.

House Bill 2459 has 39 co-sponsors on it, and it will go before the state House on Thursday.

If it's passed, it would head to the state Senate.

Is there a difference between a gym and an exercise studio? These business owners think so

The owner of Pure Barre in Wexford started an online petition that now has hundreds of signatures.

Maria Sidoni is begging the governor to allow businesses like hers to reopen safely in the yellow phase instead of waiting much longer for the green.

“I’m concerned it’s going to be a very, very big struggle,” Sidoni said.

But since her business is classified as a gym, it’s a long way off until she can reopen.

“I think our state officials need to be aware of what fitness boutiques are and that they can safely reopen in this time,” Sidoni said.

She said by holding smaller classes, members staying 6 feet apart and not using shared equipment or equipment at all they can easily follow social distancing guidelines.

“Fitness boutiques have a little more flexibility to provide a safe productive work out during COVID with social distancing in effect, where for big box gyms it’s going to be way more challenging for them,” Sidoni said.

She tells me her business should not be in the same category as bigger gyms like Oxford Athletic Club, LA Fitness or Planet Fitness.

“In those gyms, you are obviously going to have a lot more people. There’s going to be a lot of equipment that is going to be very challenging to keep sanitized and safe,” Sidoni said.

Another fitness boutique owner agrees and signed the petition to reopen early.

“I don’t know if there’re a space between yellow and green where these type of businesses can be open, but at the very least, we are going to try to start some classes outside,” said Joanna Amelio, owner of the Dailey Method.

Amelio just got permission to hold small outdoor classes behind her studio starting Friday.

In a survey, most of her members say they’re excited and comfortable to participate.

“And 19% voted soon but not quite yet,” Amelio said.

Safety is her No. 1 priority, and she plans to hold classes with 25 or fewer people, following the state’s social distancing guidelines.

Pure Barre is now working to get permission to hold outdoor classes as well in the parking lot in front of its studio.

Is there a difference between a gym and a fitness boutique? Owners say yes Is there a difference between a gym and a fitness boutique? Owners say yes

What businesses can do to keep employees, customers safe when reopening What businesses can do to keep employees, customers safe when reopening

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