Local Businesses Prepare To Open In Phase 1 Of Reopening Plan

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The revised stay-at-home order, allowing retail stores that were previously designated “non-essential” to open, could not have come soon enough for local businesses that have been closed for more than a month.

“We’re just really happy to be back.” KK Bloom Boutique Assistant Manager Marshall McFadden said.

Charlotte Running Company is also ready to open its doors.

“It’s good, it’s heading in the right direction,”  Charlotte Running Company founder Scott Dvorak said.

Both the KK Bloom Boutique in Myers Park… and the Charlotte Running Company in Dilworth have been able to make some sales online, but they’ve had to get creative. Dvorak says his stores still took a big hit.

“We’re lucky, luckier than a lot of businesses out there that had to shut down completely. At least we could figure out a way to still get our product to our customers, that sound we’ve still been down on average probably about 50% across all our stores,” Dvorak said.

Local businesses are doing everything they can right now to make sure that it’s safe inside for their customers.

“We’ll be steaming all the garments that are tried on. The steamer actually gets so hot that it can kill the germs and bacteria,” McFadden said.

McFadden says they want people to be able to relax when they come in the store.

“We want this to be a safe environment, of course, we’re going to do everything we can to ensure that, but also we want to be a little bit of an escape. We want it to be a positive experience,” McFadden said. Phase One will be officially enacted Friday at 5 p.m. on May 8.