Around the state, a number of businesses owners around the state are preparing their plans to reopen their doors in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. In Atlanta, Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms has urged small business owners to keep the doors closed for a while longer and for residents to shelter in place until more testing is available. A number of Metro Atlanta business owners have shared with The Atlanta Voice their plans for reopening and the guidelines for which they are engaging with their clientele.
ATC Tax IncomeOpen May 1 Owner: David Gherezgher Address: 3551 Memorial Dr., Decatur Phone: (404) 284-4444 Website: www.atcincometax.com/
“Yes, we are open Monday through Friday, 10 AM-4 PM. We do walk-in or drop-offs with a safe policy of two customers at a time. Our customers can book their appointments online. We also do virtual taxes so that people can stay at home.”
“In keeping with federal and state regulations, Atlanta Style Bar will remain closed until the end of April. We plan to reopen on May 10, 2020. During this time, we have strategized on ways to maintain the highest level of cleanliness in our salon to ensure the safety of both our staff & clients.”
Preventative measures:
All staff is required to wear masks.
Patrons are required wear masks to their appointments, one that is secured behind the ears; If a patron doesn’t have one, the establishment will provide one.
Establishment is splitting service providers into shifts, reducing the number of people in the building by a minimum of 50 percent.
Service Providers will be working in every other station, leaving an empty station to keep a safe distance.
Patrons are asked to arrive for appointments at the appointed time and no earlier. Patrons are asked to limit any belongings to their phones and forms of payment.
Please do not bring any extra guests with you and please do not bring children to your appointment at this time.
Patrons with an underlying health condition have been asked to wait to return to the salon until May 24 per state guidelines. In addition, if you have been ill or around someone who has been ill, please wait 14 days to reschedule your appointment.
(Photo: Courtesy of Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks)
Big Dave’s CheesesteaksOpen for takeout Owner: Derrick Hayes Address: 57 Forsyth St NW Suite 63, Atlanta Phone: (404) 343-0259 Website:thebigdavescheesesteaks.com
“We were never closed for business completely. We have been operating with takeout orders only that are available by phone orders, online ordering, or curbside takeout. We will not be reopening the dining hall to the public probably until the end of May or beginning of June even if the restrictions are lifted in Atlanta. We do not want to risk the health of our employees or others by allowing groups of people to gather in our establishment until it’s safe nationwide.”
Preventative measures:
Only employees and approved vendors are allowed inside Big Dave’s establishment during COVID-19.• Owners check the employees temperatures each morning to ensure anyone is not over 100 degrees in temperature.
We ensure we follow the hand-washing guidelines and our staff changes their gloves frequently.
Customers must follow social distancing guidelines when waiting outside for their takeout order.
Red tape has been posted outside the establishment that separates customers six feet apart and also denied access to the exit and entry points of the restaurant.
Champion Dreams Open May 1, 10 a.m.-7p.m. Owner: Travis Brown Address: 1515 Wedmore Ct SE, Smyrna Phone: 678-792-8980 Website:www.championdreams.com
“Our Covid 19 restrictions for our business doesn’t involve directly touching our clients as we provide production and design services for our clients. So furthermore we want to remain sanitary and continue to give our clients the best value for their business.”
(Photo: Courtesy of CRAVE)
CRAVE Open for all business including dine-in, takeout and delivery, 1 – 9 p.m. Owner: Mychel “Snoop” Dillard Address: 1126 Euclid Ave NE, Atlanta Phone: (678) 399-3077 Website: cravel5p.com/
Preventative Measures:
Establishment has reduced capacity to make sure everyone is social distancing once inside.
Establishment has brought in infrared thermometers and the staff will have their temperatures taken upon clocking in for work. If it’s high, they will not be allowed to work.
Every single staff member will be wearing gloves at all times. Being seen without them will result in termination.
Anyone showing any signs of the COVID19 virus will be sent home and cannot work until they test negative — with proof.
The hostesses and front staff will sit patrons, where they can practice social distancing.
Establishment reserves the right to refuse service to anyone displaying signs of the COVID19 virus.
(Photo: Courtesy of CRU Hemp Lounge)
CRU Hemp Lounge Opening May 15 Owner: Dennis McKinley Address: 620 Glen Iris Dr NE #101, Atlanta Phone:(404) 423-7175 Website:cruhemplounge.com/
Diamond Facez Skincare Bar Open for business Owner: Shamari-Rene Cherry Address: 175 W Wieuca Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30342 Phone:(770) 313-8516 Website:www.dfacez.com/
“Going forward, we will be taking one client at a time by appointment only. Wearing a mask & shield during the treatment is mandatory and same for our clients. We will be following all state/CDC rules. Each client must have their temperature taken upon arrival. A consent forum & questionnaire will also be given to each client before providing services.”
Dine & Design Opening in June Owner: Alannah Vincent Address: 1039 Grant Street SE Suite B31 Atlanta Website:www.dineanddesign.com
“Dine and Design will be open mid-June. We have decided to turn it into a full mobile service business. Dine and Design will be open Thursday – Sunday. Clients should call for availability. We are working on a first-come, first-served basis. Clients will be seated six feet apart and have the option to use masks at their discretion.”
“We plan to reopen June 1, 2020. Hours will remain 2-9 pm. All students are required to sanitize upon entering, wash hands every hour and sanitize every other hour. Dancers will also be required to sanitize on their way out. Customers are only allowed in facility 1 at a time in the lobby. Classroom sizes are cut to 20 and 6 ft. apart lines will be placed outside the studio.”
(Photo: Courtesy of FLR-PLN)
FLR-PLN Closed until further notice Owner: Adia Dightman & Rachel Jackson Address: 2491 Martin Luther King Jr Drive SW, Atlanta GA 30311 Phone: (888) 353-1011 Website:www.flr-pln.com
“We are looking to open mid-summer. We want to prevent the spread of the virus and allow guests to experience the store in the best way possible. We currently have two locations in Atlanta closed due to COVID-19. We opened our stores 3 months before we had to close due to the pandemic. We have moved our operations online until further notice.”
Gocha’s Breakfast Bar Open for takeout daily from 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Owner: Gocha Hawkins Address: 3695 Cascade Rd, Atlanta Phone: 678-927-9166 Website:gochasbreakfastbar.com
“Food is an essential and people have to eat, and since this is the case we have to be safe about it. We are not expecting to open our doors to full capacity until late May or first of June. We are still here for our guests and we want them to know we are practicing all safety measures such as: washing our hands, wearing gloves, wearing protective face masks, sanitizing and disinfecting each and everything that we can while also only utilizing the front part of our dining room.”
Preventative measures:
Only using every other booth and practicing social distancing. We want them to be safe and comfortable just as our staff.
Establishment is only allowing 10 guests in the restaurant at any given time.
Still offering take out..Grubhub, Doordash, Postmates and in house ordering.
Hattie Marie’s BBQ Owners: Willie & Ramona Griggie Address: 3699 Main St., College Park Phone: (678) 796-8205 Website:www.hattiemariesbarbecue.com/
“For now, we will be sticking with takeout and delivery. We will make an assessment after May 15. At that point, we will decide whether or not they’re opening, but we are looking to hear back from the Mayor. For now, staff and customers are coming in ordering with masks and are spread six feet apart.”
The Hunt, LLC Owner: James Hunt Address: 5 Pritchard Way NE, Atlanta Phone: 404-998-2516 Website:celebritycreditguru.com/
(Photo: Courtesy of The Hunt, LLC)
“Business has never closed! Actually, because of the nature of this business—the credit repair business—and our expertise, business for me has been up about 50 percent since the coronavirus lock down as clients have taken the time to actually focus on their finances and what their issues are. With that said, there are changes that have been made. All staff communicates via phone and submits their information electronically, then we have their paperwork sent in. I have my employees working one in each office to account for the 6 feet social distancing rule. We are also making sure that there is hourly disinfecting of everything, desks, computers and all other appliances and supplies. We are being totally conscious and ordering food out and bringing it into the office so we don’t have to go to the restaurants.”
The aftermath: This pandemic has definitely changed the way my company will do business in the future. I don’t foresee having clients in the office. It is not necessary. It has been proven that we can be equally effective without having face to face consultations with the clients and we are able to efficiently take care of their issues without seeing them in the office.
Janelle Alisha Wig Design & Installation Reopened April 27; open Mondays through Fridays, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Owner: Janelle Alisha Address: 409 Arrowhead Blvd, Jonesboro Phone: 850-254-5028 Website:www.hairfetishatlanta.com/
“I opened on Monday, April 27. My reason for opening is based on my background in Public Health and my faith, it allows me to implement the safety precautions, take heed and change my business guidelines and procedures. As a small business owner, I need to continue to make money and my clients are also going back to work. They are needing wigs made for that, so I need to be available to them.”
Preventative measures:
As patrons enter the establishment, they must take the hand sanitizer provided at the door.
Patrons must wash their hands as soon as they enter.
Staff will wear masks.
(Photo: Courtesy of Krab Queenz)
Krab Queenz ATL Open May Fridays through Tuesdays, noon – 8 p.m. Owner: Tonique Clay, Natasha Burton, Kway Rogers Address: 529 Peachtree St NE, Atlanta Phone:(678) 515-3868 Website: www.krabqueenz.com/
“The health and well being of our customers, staff and community are our top priority. With the data presented to us there is still a lot to be concerned about with COVID-19. We will continue to adhere to the CDC’s recommendations of social distancing and monitor the after effects of other business openings on May 1. We want our decision to reopen fully to not come with any consequences of patrons and staff getting sick or any risks of passing the viruses to others”.
Miguel Wilson CollectionReopening June 1 by appointment only Owner: Miguel Wilson Address: 3500 Peachtree Rd NE f6, Atlanta Phone:(404) 330-8626 Website:www.miguelwilson.com
“We’re planning the reopening of Miguel Wilson showrooms in Atlanta, Miami, and D.C. as of June 1. Next week, I will be laying out the protocols to help protect you and our team members. We can only accommodate one client at a time in the stores.
(Photo: Courtesy of Mr. Everything)
Mr. Everything Cafe Open for takeout Mondays through Saturday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Owner: Jason & Monica Smith Address: 899 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Atlanta; 2220 Jonesboro Rd., Fairburn Phone: (770) 996-3412
“We will not open our dining room at least not before June 1,2020. We feel it’s too soon for that and want to keep our employees and our customers safe. We have been open the entire time since the statewide shelter-in-place order. We have only take out and delivery through our Restaurant Partners. GrubHub, Uber Eats and DoorDash.”
Preventative measures:
Establishment wipes counters and cash register areas down every hour.
Establishment has hand sanitizer available for the customers to use upon entering and exiting our establishment.
Our front-of-the-house employees are required to wear face masks.
Establishment has purchased a handheld POS System to even take customers’ orders outside when there are more than five customers inside our restaurant.
(Photo: Courtesy of Nouveau Bar & Grill)
Nouveau Bar & Grill Open for takeout and delivery, Tuesdays-Sundays 2–10 p.m. Owner: Ebony Austin Address: 3775 Main St, College Park Phone: (404) 343-6785 Website:nouveaubar.com/menu/
“As a new restaurant, we were growing rapidly, this led to new hires in every area: bar, kitchen, servers, janitorial, marketing, etc. The word about Nouveau Bar & Grill had spread and we were bombarded with reservation requests, parties, and inquiries about renting out the entire restaurant. We are tentatively opening for business Memorial Day Weekend.”
(Photo: Courtesy of NuLeaf Health & Wellness)
NuLeaf Health & Wellness Store Reopening Mondays-Saturdays, 11 a.m.-8p.m. Owner: Jacquece Jennings Address: 4750 Alabama Rd NE #116, Roswell Phone:(404) 436-1611 Website:www.nuleafone.com/
“As we continue to work to serve the evolving needs of our communities, we plan to stay in touch with news and changes as they occur. Here at Nuleaf #1 CBD store we have reopened and are ready to service you. We appreciate everyone’s understanding and support as we will all work together to help protect the most vulnerable members of our community.”
The Original Hot Dog Factory Closed until further notice; takeouts only Owner: Dennis McKinley Address: 68 North Marietta Pkwy NW, Marietta; 4400 Ashford Dunwoody Rd, Atlanta; 2860 Cumberland Mall, Atlanta Phone: (404) 907-4133 Website:www.theoriginalhotdogfactory.com/
“We actually haven’t closed during the pandemic. We shifted to takeout and delivery services only. Until we re-open for dine in we plan to continue to limit our capacity to 10 customers at a time. In a few weeks we plan to fully open and at that time we will follow all of the guidelines set forth by Governor Kemp.”
Re-opening plans: McKinley planned to open two of the three branches of his restaurant, The Original Hot Dog Factory, for dine-in service in the Atlanta area. He reversed himself Monday after getting about 40 calls from politicians, community leaders and customers urging him to keep diners out. “Ultimately, The Original Hot Dog Factory can’t make it without the community’s support, so I felt it was important to hold back and wait.”
Pearly Booth Closed indefinitely Owner: Alannah Vincent Website:Pearlybooth.com
“Pearly Booth will reopen when ppl can socially gather in groups. Our hours will be the same as before covid-19. I believe Pearly Booth would function at its best without the Covid-19 restrictions. Once we are open to having parties and events then Pearly Booth will be in full swing.”
(Photo: Courtesy of Slutty Vegan)
Slutty Vegan ATL Open Tuesdays-Saturdays from noon to 7:30 p.m. Owner: Pinky Cole Address: 1542 Ralph David Abernathy Blvd SW, Atlanta Phone: (678) 732-3525 Website: sluttyveganatl.com/
“Here at Slutty Vegan, we always take into consideration the safety of you (the customer), the needs of our staff, and the best interests of the community. The Slutty Vegan family wishes all those affected by this pandemic strength and resilience in this time of need.”
Tu La 2 Nail Salon & Company Repening by appointment only Tuesdays through Fridays, 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Saturdays 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Address: 1133 Huff Road Suite E Atlanta, Ga. 30318 Phone: (404) 869-3600 Website:tula2nailsalon.com/
“Tu La 2 Nail Salon & Company will analyze the upcoming weeks if all goes well we will consider resuming business in the beginning of May. We will follow the new guidelines presented. Our hours of operation will continue as normal. We are all about the SAFETY of our clients and our team! They matter the most!”
Preventative measures:
Establishment will observe a “No Mask, No Service” policy.
Establishment’s staff is required to wear masks as well.
Establishment will check clients and or teams temperatures daily.
Patrons will have to sign a waiver to receive service.
Establishment will continue its sanitation procedures, including requiring patrons to wash their hands before any service.
Establishment is installing sneeze guards in place between technicians and patrons.
Technicians are required to wear gloves for the patron’s entire service.
Each technician and their client will be six feet from the other technician’s work stations.
Establishment will limit occupation of salon to 10 people or less at all times.
Only patrons being serviced can enter the salon.
(Photo: Courtesy of The Yizclusive Experience)
The Yizclusive Experience Men’s Grooming Spa Reopening today by appointment only Owner: Yisrael Wright Address: 1039 Grant St SE Suite A12, Atlanta Phone: (888) 353-1011 Website:www.theyizclusiveexperience.com/
“Our projected date per the Governor continuing to allow business to resume is Friday, May 1. We will only be open four days a week with no walk-ins and appointments only for existing clients. We deal with clients and patrons within the six foot recommendation for social distancing however with the masks, gloves, shields, and conscious cleaning, our close contact work will be tremendously safer. When we do resume services we will have additional steps and requirements to ensure safety.”
Zeus’ Closet Reopening May 4 by appointment only Owner: Ethan King Address: 1339 Marietta Blvd Suite C, Atlanta; 440 Barrett Pkwy, Suite 46, Kennesaw Phone: (866) 987-9387
“We plan to reopen next week by appointment only. Customers must book in advance on our website. Masks are required. We are closely monitoring the coronavirus/COVID-19 situation, and will reopen when we feel we can do so safely for our team members and our clients.”
It’s time to let it go. Maybe we can all agree not to wear our made-in-China political merch 24/7 and turn the online virtue-signaling down a notch or two.
Let’s allow one bumper sticker per vehicle and the occasional meme if it’s genuinely funny, but if you’re going to roll up in a $50,000 pickup wrapped with glamour shots of your preferred dear leader and statements of your core beliefs, you’re going to get side-eyed in our brave new world. Because that’s a little nutty, dude.
For once, maybe we need a boring guy with very little flavor in the White House. Somebody who’s almost no one’s first choice, but we can all agree isn’t trying to leverage the office to increase his Twitter following.
We probably won’t return to where it’s almost rude to bring up politics in mixed company, but maybe we can let everything recede a bit. Let’s get back to where we were dog-cussin’ both parties and acknowledge that most of the time politics doesn’t impinge on the way we live our lives. And that there’s very little we can do about it anyway.
Sure, on a local level, you might be able to get something done. Maybe you can help elect a school board candidate or get a pothole filled. A vote is a vote, and despite what some people might try to tell you, they all count. But the chances of your particular vote affecting a national election are pretty negligible. (I’ve heard one in a billion, but that sounds high.)
There’s only so much we can do. And we should do what we can, but also recognize that we cannot change the world. And that worrying about what we can’t change is a waste of effort and probably a good way to make ourselves unhappy. Which is why it’s best to not think about politics most of the time.
Politics, when done right, is pretty boring to most people. The decisions made by those we elect make a difference, and it’s understandable why some people become deeply interested in the details of these transactions. Some enjoy the drama. They like to follow the personalities and root for the interests with which they have–often for reasons that have little to do with their own particular situations–aligned.
Some people identify as political junkies. Some people are hockey fans.
What’s distressing is the sheer number of Americans who have adopted politics as their favorite pastime. They dress in team colors and attend to the homer entertainment channels–MSNBC, Fox, OAN, CNN, Breitbart–that cater to their tastes. We ought to stop that and find something better to do than bask in the stupefying glow of the made-up 24-hour news cycle.
Because there isn’t enough news for a 24-hour cycle; about 23 and 3/4 hours of programming on any particular news channel is likely to be fake outrage or some failed comedian auditioning for his own cult by going on about evil rich or poor people in between ads for credit repair and uncirculated American Silver Eagle coins. It’s designed to keep you watching, to hold your attention so they can sell you to their advertisers.
But you knew that, because you’re an adult. Right?
You’re not like the people you see on Facebook pretending to be constitutional scholars and epidemiologists holding forth on platforms in the public interest. You know exactly what the limits of your expertise are and don’t offer up your advice for free.
You’re not one of those people still posting about face-swapping, clones and adrenochrome.
We need more sports and movies now, more music. In a good society, we should be able to ignore politics and simply attend to occasional civic rituals, which re-occur like necessary chores. We should be free to be apolitical. If you’re going to be obsessed by something, it ought to be deep and soulful, not the performative wolf-crying of men and women who mean to make a career of presenting themselves as leaders. Baseball is something more worthy of your investment.
No one should care as much about politics as a lot of us have these past four years. But let’s hope these years were extraordinary, as in not normal. And that while the trauma and damage they inflicted was very real–for a while there you could see the American id roaring and thrashing; you could see the beast inside–we are returning to a less dramatic, markedly calmer state.
We have managed to stuff a monster back in the closet. It’s not gone; all that rage will still find weak points and fault lines to exploit. We will still have school shootings and atrocities committed by the damaged and the prideful, but it’s probably going to be a while before the war on decency throws up another avatar as bald and raw as what we’ve just seen.
The next would-be dictator–and there will be another one–will be smoother and smarter and less reliant on simplistic slogans and obvious lies to stir the passions of the aggrieved.
The next one will present as rational and reasonable and data-driven.
That’s just evolution, which is science, which some of you don’t credit. That’s OK. Science, unlike magic, functions independently of faith. Someone is going to do the math and find a way to determine the best choice in any given situation.
The days of intuition and talent are numbered. Big data is going to reduce us all to tendencies and probabilities. As mysterious as we may seem to ourselves, given a big enough sample size, we are all parsable.
We should welcome our nerdy overlords. They will unlock the math, and it will become a question of making optimal decisions. They’ll bleed the art out of politics, just like they have poker and basketball.
I don’t know what to do about them, short of acknowledging that facts matter and that the end of history is still out there beyond the horizon. It’s not inevitable that the good guys win; looking back over the centuries, it’s not clear if the good guys even have a winning record. It’s been a pretty good rivalry.
We made it. Take a deep breath, but leave your mask on. Pitchers and catchers report Feb. 12.
Navigating today’s world is not an easy undertaking, especially when you happen to have a bad credit. The vast majority of companies use your credit score to decide whether to do business with you. Some even use this information to set the pricing for products and services you use. That’s why you must strive to maintain a good credit score at all times.
But what if you already have a troubled credit history? When this is the case, you should make an effortto repair your credit. In this post, we will take you through some of the things you need to know about credit repair. Keep on reading to find out more.
You Can Do It Yourself
While companies that offer repair bad credit fast services may be the most viable option for some people, there’s nothing they can do for you that you can’t do for yourself. Provided you understand what is expected, you will repair credit online from the comfort of your home. The secret lies in educating yourself on how credit works and what it takes to repair credit report online. Through this action, it will only be a matter of time before you repair your credit score.
Don’t Expect Overnight Results
Whereas you may have the best app to repair credit, you should not expect to see results overnight. Keep in mind it takes time to rebuild a bad credit history. Furthermore, your credit score may fluctuate during the repair process since the information in your credit report changes. To be on the safe side, it is highly advisable that you prioritize the general trend of your credit score over a period of time.
For those who are still finding it hard, then it’s in your best interest that you seek help from professionals. By professionals we are simply referring to companies that offer credit score repair services. Alternatively, you can make use of credit repair software for individuals. The decision you settle on is entirely based on your needs.
The Bottom Line
With professionals that offer credit report repair online services, it is important that you learn to be patient during the entire process. Remember, the duration it takes tends to vary from one person to another. The good news is that you will notice a significant change whenever something is deleted from your credit report.
LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) – A Better Business Bureau Serving Acadiana complaint and subsequent investigation led to the Louisiana Office of the Attorney General issuing a “cease and desist” order to Lafayette-based Virtuous Business Consulting and owner Jessica Chaisson.
The AG order settles allegations the business performed credit repair services without the required $100,000 surety bond as required by state law under the Louisiana Credit Repair Services Organizations Act. Under terms of the order, the business was required to immediately stop performing credit repair services as well as provide the names and contact information for anyone who used their credit repair service. The order was for settlement purposes only and should not be considered as an admission of guilt.
According to BBB records, the company received a complaint from a consumer, alleging the company accepted an advance fee for credit repair then never performed the service. The business did not respond to the consumer complaint.
BBB sent correspondence to the business on Nov. 4, 2020, requesting a brief description of the products or services offered, copies of marketing materials provided to their customers, copies of any service agreements provided to customers and a copy of the required surety bond but BBB didn’t received a response.
“Hearing from consumer experiences help us keep the public informed with situations such as these,” said Jillian Dickerson, BBB Serving Acadiana President and CEO.
According to the U.S. Credit Repair Organizations Act, “No credit repair organization may charge or receive any money or other valuable consideration for the performance of any service which the credit repair organization has agreed to perform for any consumer before such service is fully performed.”
Understand the difference between credit repair services and debt relief. Credit repair companies repair credit reports for a fee; debt relief are typically programs that offer loans to consolidate debt.
Carefully research companies on BBB.org before agreeing to any services and make sure the company can help resolve the situation.
Before signing any contract, read and understand the terms and conditions, especially if it involves a loan.
