The Pause

In early 2020, everything changed.

Like many small businesses across the country, Beautyfluff was forced to close both locations because of COVID-19 regulations. Overnight, the business, which had been fully booked just weeks earlier, came to a halt. Memberships were immediately canceled so clients wouldn’t be charged. Staff members were let go so they could access unemployment support. Revenue dropped to zero. But expenses don’t stop. Rent still had to be paid on both locations.

Yennie and Eric had just expanded their business. They had committed to a new place, additional responsibilities, and new overhead, all in anticipation of continued growth. Instead, they found themselves facing a future with no clear reopening date and no way to earn a living. To stay afloat, they took out a six-figure loan.

Ultimately, they made the hard decision to close the Flushing location to ease their financial burden. It was a painful choice. They had opened the space only recently and already filled it with plans for future growth.

With moving services unavailable during lockdown, Yennie and Eric rented a U-Haul and moved everything themselves. Treatment beds, machines, furniture, and equipment had to be carried down from a second-floor space and transported back to Port Washington, with just the two of them.

Schools went online, and they cared for their son as they tried to navigate the uncertainty surrounding their business. Even while closed, they continued to support their community. They promoted local heroes, encouraged handwashing, and later offered the limited-time Aromatherapy treatment when Beautyfluff was finally allowed to reopen six months later. They delivered skincare products to clients who needed them and brought toilet paper and supplies to staff members who couldn’t find essentials. When hand sanitizer became impossible to purchase, they even manufactured their own.

There was no income during this time, but they were determined to honor their responsibility to stay connected to the community that had supported them.

The Flushing location closed, but the story of Beautyfluff didn’t end there.