Salons and spas in Alberta will now have the opportunity to serve alcohol to their clients.
Finance Minister Joe Ceci confirmed in a tweet that spas, barbershops, and salons will be able to apply for liquor licences through the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission in response to some salon owners saying that not being able to serve alcohol was affecting business.
I am very pleased to say that this situation has been resolved. My office worked with AGLC and the business owner. Spas, barbershops, and salons will now be eligible for a liquor license. #ableg https://t.co/CNMhVPfzRl
— Joe Ceci (@joececiyyc) March 8, 2018
Hair Stylist at Vivid Salon, Spa and Wellness Myranda Mann says that this is exciting news for them because not only does the process of applying for a licence become easier, it will make their clients happier with the services they provide.
“I really think this is a turning point just to be able to offer something fun and different to the clientele cause the clients have been asking cause it does exist in the City in some higher end salons where they do a specialty night.”
Mann says they are interested in getting a licence, but it will come down to costs and logistics of adding this service, for example she says their staff will have to obtain a pro-serve like waiters in restaurants.
Currently, the spa offers wine glasses for parties that want to bring in their own bottle of wine, but do not serve any alcohol of their own. Mann says this will help business, as long as not every salon or spa in the City takes advantage of this opportunity.
“I think it will be interesting to see with all the salons and spas in Lloydminster, who does bring it on and who doesn’t because if everyone does it, if it’s that easy, it will be offered to all clients everywhere. If it’s something just a few of us do, I do think it will draw in those specific clients.”
There are some foreseeable challenges Mann says that could cause some issues, but adds that there needs to be guidelines for what can be served, how much can be served and for how long.
“I think you would have to have protocol in place from the get go, in terms of what’s the rules per person and how we navigate that, so that it’s very clear upfront to the clientele, to the staff. So that we don’t push any boundaries in the wrong direction and we keep everybody safe.”
Salon owners will have to apply and be approved for a Class B liquor licence before they can begin serving alcohol to customers.