Some Small Businesses On Grapevine's Main Street Asking Customers To Mask Up Again
GRAPEVINE, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) - Some changes are already being seen at some small North Texas businesses amid the new recommendation from the CDC that even those fully-vaccinated should mask indoors at places with high rate of COVID-19 transmission.
In Grapevine, Main Street Jewelry has decided to put their "Mask Required" sign back up.
It wasn't long ago that they had taken it down.
"We will be back wearing masks again. Hopefully not for too much longer, but at least until the increase in cases drops in Texas," said sales associate Bob Payton.
Small businesses have learned to take the pandemic one day at a time.
They've seen constant changes in cases, recommendations and policies and with the new advice, they've been put in a tough spot once again.
"It's definitely a challenge for sure. You want people to feel comfortable but you still have to keep your doors open," said Cydney Sullivan, owner of Roses on the Vine.
Sullivan says she's leaving the choice to mask up to her customers, and that it would nearly take a statewide mandate to make her change her mind.
Stephanie Sawyer, manager of Little Orange Fish said the same.
She says it's not that the store is disregarding the spread, but more-so that they can't continue to fight shoppers.
"It was a unique challenge to us as a small business. It was not pleasant, and I don't want to do it again," said Sawyer.
Payton says he's sure there will be resistance to their newly reinstated mask policy, considering so many folks have gotten used to living without them.
That's why Main Street Jewelry will have a fresh pile of masks at the door.
"We learned early on, you get more with honey than vinegar. So we did have a few people who resisted wearing masks, but we explained to them that we are a bit older here," Payton said.
They're operating with the hope shoppers will understand and can feel too as if they're doing their part to end the pandemic.