Editor’s note: Throughout this pandemic and resulting economic crisis, we will be telling stories of people who are affected. Today we begin with some people in the service industry who were shut down earlier this week. Have a story to tell? Email tneditor@tnonline.com.

By Danielle Derrickson

dderrickson@tnonline.com

Brennan Varley - whose Lehighton salon, Meraki Hair Studio, employs two other stylists - spoke to the state’s cosmetology board and the local chamber of commerce before officially making her choice to close.

Varley has been doing hair since she was a teen. She spent a brief stint as a business manager in the automotive business after making the move from New Jersey to Lehighton at 17, because the state wouldn’t accept her Jersey cosmetology license. But Varley knew that wasn’t permanent.

When she struggled to find work locally, Varley said her mother pushed her to open her own salon. In 2017, Varley did just that. She founded Meraki Hair, currently located on Interchange Road.

But in line with Wolf’s orders, Meraki closed its doors Tuesday at midnight.

“Yesterday was probably the worst day ever for me,” Varley said that afternoon.

Part of what made the decision so difficult, Varley pointed out, was her employees. “I have employees that rely on me for their income,” she said. The salon still has equipment loans to pay as well.

But after a client called the salon, saying she had been exposed to coronavirus but didn’t show any symptoms and wanted to make an appointment, Varley knew she didn’t have a choice.

“That’s what actually made my decision quite easy,” Varley said. “I was like, ‘OK, she knows she was exposed to it, and she still wants to come in, even though she doesn’t have symptoms.’ This is why it keeps happening.”

Varley isn’t sure what to do now that Meraki is temporarily closed. “I’m trying to keep a level head here and protect my business,” she said.

While the mass coronavirus-related closures are a sure threat to local businesses like hers, Varley said when Meraki can reopen, she’ll make sure it does, even if that means taking on another job.

At the prospect of Meraki closing down for good, she said, “I’ll do whatever I have to do to make it work.”

Mother of six

Kayla Ahner, of Palmerton, is a single mother of six. Before COVID-19 led to a wave of school, business and day care closedowns, she worked daylong shifts at Sapore Restaurant in Lehighton.

While she was at work, Ahner’s four older children were in school, and her youngest, a set of 3-year-old twins, were in day care. Ahner’s family filled in the gaps, she said, watching the kids in the late afternoons and evenings so she could support them.

But school closed last Friday for at least two weeks.

Just three days later, so did Sapore’s dining room.

“We were kind of in shock,” Ahner said. “We never thought, like, the whole restaurant would close down. It didn’t cross my mind. I didn’t think that we would come to this.”

Ahner hoped to help fill some of the takeout orders Sapore is still accepting, but on Tuesday her day care also shut its doors.

Now, Ahner said she’s “not exactly sure what we’re going to do.” The family has stocked up on food and drink, but then there’s bills. Ahner has considered filing for unemployment, but then there’s the “waiting week.”

“We do have a little money saved,” Ahner said. “But of course, I’m a single mom, and I have six kids. It’s not going to be easy either way.”

Bus drivers

Nicole Heckman, of Lehighton, and her husband, Robert Heckman, are both bus drivers in the Panther Valley School District. Now out of a job for at least a few weeks, Nicole said both she and Robert are looking to unemployment to help cover the necessities.

But Nicole said Robert’s unemployment check isn’t half of what he earned driving the bus, and she won’t get any benefits for at least two months because of a past penalty. (Nicole said she accidentally provided wrong information when applying for unemployment a while back, which resulted in her being overpaid. She said the error has since been corrected.)

“How do we make sure that there’s enough food in the house?” Nicole said. “I have animals. I have bills.

“It’s like we’re in turmoil right now.”

Nicole also worries for her 15-year-old daughter, who is out of school. And Nicole is concerned about purchasing her medical prescriptions, as she’s responsible for her own health care.

When asked how she’s coping with the stress, Nicole responded, “We take it day by day.”

“That’s all you can do,” she said. “I just pray for the other people that are going through the same thing.”

Jennifer Brown, of Nesquehoning, hasn’t worked since last week.

Brown, a crossing guard in the Panther Valley School District, said she was “annoyed and frustrated” to be out of work, but added the “safety of the kids is the most important thing.”