'We're not all going to survive this': Economic impact from COVID-19 forces salon owner to close
Kiddo Klips, which has been open for nine years in Champlin, will be closing due to economic impacts from COVID-19. (June Trnka)
CHAMPLIN, Minn. (FOX 9) - A salon owner in Champlin, Minnesota is feeling the fallout from the coronavirus first hand. After weeks of no customers, she's been forced to do something she never dreamed of: close her doors.
June Trnka has been running Kiddo Klips for more than nine years, handling hair needs for the youngest of clients and making lots of memories
“I don’t even know where to start there’s so many wonderful families,” said Trnka. “You see these two-, three-year-old little boys walking in like they own the place and go straight to the train table.”
Business was good and then came the coronavirus.
“At first, I wasn’t too worried about it because it looked like it was just going to be a couple of weeks, then I think it got pushed back a couple of times and each time it was just a little more heart-wrenching,” said Trnka.
Trnka runs the salon by herself. After weeks of bills with no income, she tried to get financial help to keep the business going, but didn’t have any luck.
“As time went on, it became more apparent to me how serious the situation was,” she said.
She made the decision to close Kiddo Klips and has spent the last few days selling all of her beloved equipment, toys and tools online.
“It’s still not easy, but I’m doing a lot better than when I was trying to process the whole concept of pulling the plug,” she said.
She’s not getting rid of everything - just in case.
“I’m really proud to have done what I’ve done and I’m going to miss a lot of my families but...,” she said as she began to tear up.
While she’s not sure what’s ahead for her, she knows she’s not alone as a small business in this pandemic.
“We’re not all going to survive this and that doesn’t mean things are over, it just means another door is going to be opening somewhere that’s all,” said Trnka.