DICKINSON, ND (KFGO)- District 36 Republican Representative Luke Simons announced on Facebook Saturday that he will be reopening his barbershop May 1st, ignoring Gov. Burgum’s executive order that extended closures of personal service businesses due to COVID-19.
His announcement comes just over a week after Simons and 13 other state elected officials sent a letter to the governor asking him to allow businesses to reopen with safeguards to protect workers and customers. Simons says he’s looking at this issue from 2 viewpoints
Simons’ business, The Gentlemen’s Barber Shop in Dickinson, has been closed since the order came from the state in March, he says he’s been taking protective measures and will continue to when they reopen
In his post, Simons believes that forcing businesses to close is violating American’s rights saying “Last time I checked this is America, land of the free, not Mexico, I don’t need permission from the government to make a honest living.”
He hopes that opening May 1st will encourage other business owners to take a stand
Residents of South Dakota are currently able to visit barber shops while Montana will open their doors May 4th. Simons says that if North Dakotans can choose to cross state lines for a haircut they should be allowed to make that choice at home
