GREENSBORO, N.C. — Businesses are adjusting their operations to close earlier than usual as North Carolina's stay-at-home order goes into place Friday night.
All businesses will have to close by 10 p.m. and alcohol sales have to stop by 9 p.m.
CEO of Downtown Greensboro Incorporated Zack Matheny said the stay-at-home order comes with ups and downs.
"It’s absolutely a double-edged situation. I saw and spoke to business owners today and the pain that they’re going through the frustration they’re going through. The fear of closing that they’re experiencing," he said.
But Matheny said he also understands the need to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
"On the other side. I’ve got three kids I’m raising and a mom that lives close to me and a dad that I want folks to be healthy," Matheny said.
Mike Catrone is part owner of Los Chicos in Downtown Greensboro. He said his business opened just months before the start of the pandemic.
"The delivery service industry has saved us," said Catrone.
The business had to adjust its hours at the start of the pandemic to close earlier. So, while the stay-at-home order doesn't impact Catrone's hours, he said it could be devastating to other businesses.
"A lot of boutique mom and pop shops were literally opening or just had opened. Machete, a lot of restaurants were just open as it was hitting so it really is sad because we’re definitely going to take steps backward because of it," said Catrone.
However, Catrone said he thinks the move to roll out more rules is necessary to help stop the spread of the virus.
"We’ve got some family that’s got some medical issues which actually they couldn’t get a bed when they needed it," said Catrone, "Anything we can do to move ourselves forward and reduce the hospital situation that’s just all we can do because there’s going to be a lot of people that need medical care that can’t get it and that’s gonna be sad."
The stay-at-home order is in place until January 8.