GREENSBORO, N.C. — Some tanning salons in Greensboro are now back open, but Mayor Nancy Vaughan worries about mixed messaging and cautions that residents should continue taking precautions during the coronavirus pandemic.
Sun Tan City in Greensboro's Friendly Center announced Saturday morning in a Facebook post that their tanning salon is now back open.
"We are excited to announce that we are NOW OPEN!!" the tanning salon's Facebook post reads.
WFMY News 2 called the Sun Tan City location on Sunday to learn more about their reopening, but we were told by an employee that no comment was available today beyond the fact that the tanning salon did have permission to reopen.
Another tanning salon, Palm Beach Tan on New Garden Road, was also open on Sunday.
Under the North Carolina Governor's executive order issued March 27, only businesses designed as "essential" to the COVID-19 pandemic response could remain open.
The Executive Order 120 issued by Gov. Cooper does not specifically address tanning salons, but does list the following personal care and grooming businesses as requiring to close due to close interaction between workers and clients: Barber shops, beauty salons, hair salons, nail salons, massage parlors, and tattoo parlors.
However, according to a document titled "Guidance for Executive Order No. 120", "tanning facilities" are listed as one of the additional business types required to remain closed until April 24, and that executive order was extended to 5 p.m. on May 8 in Executive Order 135.
In the background of all of these executive orders, businesses not explicitly listed as "essential" can submit a request to the N.C. Department of Revenue to be considered an "essential business" and remain open.
WFMY News 2 reached out to the N.C. Department of Revenue to learn more about Sun Tan City's ability to reopen.
"I cannot confirm that they have received permission to reopen. The business applied for an exemption from the NC Department of Revenue, but I cannot confirm that they received a decision letter. It does not appear that they have," Schorr Johnson, Director of Public Affairs, told WFMY News 2 through email, adding that more information might be available on Monday.
We asked Mayor Nancy Vaughan about tanning salons reopening in an interview on Sunday.
Vaughan said that after checking with Greensboro's city attorney, tanning salons could potentially reopen now, because unlike hair and nail salons, tanning salons can allow people to socially distance during the service process.
"Based on what the city attorney said, the governor's executive order, the original executive order and the order 120, talks about social distancing. When you can social distance up to the point of sale, it really means that a lot stores that can open," Vaughan said. "A lot of stores have continued to close, and I think they wanted to because of social responsibility, which really could have opened, but stayed closed for the greater good."
Although some Greensboro tanning salons have reopened, Vaughan expressed concern that it might send a mixed messages to the community.
"We want people to understand as businesses open up, they still have to be serious about their own personal health and the fact that virus can still spread," said Vaughan. "And my biggest concern is the mixed message that is being sent to people. And that is the one thing that we as a city don't want to do, because we don't want to see these numbers balloon."
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