Local business owner glad he opened early

By Jose Negron

jnegron@yourmvi.com

In late April, Norm Candelore and his daughter, Kelsi, were sorting through unemployment claims at Candelore’s Barking Beauties’ Finleyville location when a car pulled into the parking lot. 

The salon had been closed for more than  a month after Gov. Tom Wolf ordered all non-life-sustaining businesses to close to help slow the spread of COVID-19.

Kelsi walked outside to explain to the woman in the car that the salon was closed and saw her in hysterics. 

“My daughter asked her, ‘Ma’am, what’s wrong?’ and she showed her the dog in the back seat,” explained Candelore, who also owns salons in Elizabeth Township and White Oak. “There was blood all over the back seat. The woman cut the dog’s toenail too close and it was bleeding really bad.” 

Kelsi took the dog inside the salon, bandaged and cleaned it up and calmed the woman down before she and her dog left the facility. 

After seeing how the experience affected both the customer and his daughter, Candelore came to a decision. Regardless of the consequences, he knew he had to reopen his salon. 

“We opened up this business to take care of pets and people,” said Candelore, who reopened the Finleyville location April 27 while following requirements from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “I said we were opening up; that was the final straw. It was like a message to us to get open. 

“I even called the police and commissioners and told them we were opening up, I didn’t hide it.”

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