Like everywhere else in the country, Wauneta has taken its first tentative steps toward reopening as the COVID-19 epidemic continues to burn. And a check with local business people shows so far, so good, especially since there have been no cases yet in Chase County.
    “It’s been going very well,” said Crossroads’ Angie West. Crossroads recently reopened its dine-in seating area; the store never closed, but all food had to be for takeout.
    The regular afternoon coffee crowd is back, West said. “I think the morning guys have found someplace else that they‘re meeting, so that’s just where they start out. The afternoon coffee crowd wants to get back to socializing.”
    People appear to have adapted to just getting takeout from Crossroads and while the dining room is now open, some continue to take their food home, she said.
    Beauty Bar owner Crystal Walgren said reopening has been “going great” after she was closed for three weeks.
    For her, the biggest job was rearranging appointments.
    “I actually knew [a state order to close] was coming down the pipeline, so I got people pushed forward and pushed back,” Walgren said. “I actually did pretty well getting people back on track.”
    Still, last week was the first “I feel like I’m on a regular schedule,” she said.
    While it’s not directly related to her experience with closing, Walgren noted that she would make one change to the salon: Starting on June 5, and continuing for the first Friday of every month, she will do walk-ins only from 8 a.m. to noon. “I’m just trying something different for the guys who don’t like to book haircuts,” she said.
    Miranda Vrbas of Aviana Salon, which opened only weeks before the state order to close, said the shutdown had not affected her business too much.

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