San Francisco salon owner says she is closing business after visit from US speaker Nancy Pelosi

Fox News
April Roach @aprilroach2810 September 2020

The owner of the salon that was visited by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi during the lockdown is reportedly closing up shop due to "negativity" being shown towards her business.

Mrs Pelosi faced fierce backlash after footage emerged from eSalon in San Francisco showing her walking through the salon with wet hair and a mask around her neck rather than on her face.

The salon was reportedly reopened just for Mrs Pelosi. But while outdoor haircuts are allowed under California coronavirus rules, indoor salons have not reopened.

The Democrat said she takes responsibility for trusting the word of a hair salon that a solo visit was permitted, but accused the salon owner of creating a "set-up" and said she was owed an apology for misrepresenting city health orders.

Erica Kious, who owns the salon, told Fox News broadcaster Tucker Carlson that she is afraid to return to San Francisco.

“I am actually done in San Francisco and closing my doors, unfortunately," said Ms Kious.

“I started to just get a ton of phone calls, text messages, emails, all my Yelp reviews … saying that they hope I go under and that I fail.

CCTV shows Nancy Pelosi at San Francisco salon despite coronavirus restrictions

"So just a lot of negativity towards my business.”

Ms Kious has denied Pelosi's accusation that was she set-up and insisted that she did not leak the video for "political" reasons.

The single mother-of-two revealed that a fundraiser she set-up after receiving criticism for the visit, has raised $300,000 (£234,000).

Last week the eSalon owner spoke out about her frustration after one of her hairdressers told her Mrs Pelosi was coming in for a wash and blow dry.

"It was a slap in the face that she went in, you know, that she feels that she can just go and get her stuff done while no one else can go in, and I can't work," Ms Kious told Fox News.

"We have been shut down for so long, not just me, but most of the small businesses and I just can't - it's a feeling - a feeling of being deflated, helpless and honestly beaten down."