ASHWAUBENON, Wis. — Many of the chairs are full at Starz Barber & Beauty during a late weekday morning.

It’s a sight owner Christopher Kimbrough doesn’t take for granted.

A year ago his Ashwuabenon business — and his industry —  was shut down for almost three months in the early days of the pandemic.

“One of our mottos here is, ‘A place where clients become family.’ They kind of held us down,” he said. “Even in the rough times they made sure they came through and left extra tips just to make sure we were able to stay afloat. That was a blessing.”

Kimbrough said business has rebounded over the past nine months.

“It was scary, but we made it through and we’re still here now holding strong,” he said.

Optimism is on an upward swing in the recent months at a number of businesses across the state, said Jeffrey Sachse, interim director of University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Customized Research and Services.

For the past year he’s kept a close eye on the attitudes of businesses and the realities they face in a pandemic. He underscores the enormity of what 2020 threw at them.

“It was a very significant sea change and truly a generational disruption,” he said.

Sachse points out, nationally, about one in six businesses closed during the pandemic and about 80 percent reported significant disruption. In Wisconsin, it’s left tens of thousands of people job less.

While things are looking better with the tempo of vaccinations increasing, other questions remain unanswered.

“The story yet to be told, however, is how long will it take for us to repair from the damage the last year has wrought,” he said.

Kimbrough said there’s one daily reminder he’s doing business in pandemic: masks.

“It’s annoying but I understand why we have to wear it,” he said.

He’s looking forward to the day when he no longer has to.