GREENSBORO, N.C. — Stores are finding new ways to do business as they reopen under phase one.
Floors are marked with arrows and stickers so customers know where to walk to maintain social distancing. Many stores are limiting the number of customers allowed inside. Others are requiring patrons to wear face masks.
Belk locations were the latest finding a new normal Monday. Doors opened to customers at noon.
"It's really exciting to have our customers back," said the store manager of the Belk at the Friendly Center Laura Danclovic.
Danclovic said many of her staff members were on furlough after Belk locations closed on March 17. They've been back on the job getting ready for the reopening since last week.
"Today was full of a lot of excitement, getting ready for our customers coming in and then just preparing and making sure that we had the store spotless and clean and disinfected," said Danclovic.
Calandra Turner is one of the shoppers who came to the store ahead of the reopening. She waited in her car until the doors opened while others waited in the parking lot.
"I do try to avoid the lines and that's one reason why I'm out early," said Turner.
She also came prepared to social distance. Turner is a self-described shopaholic and wore a face mask with Louis Vuitton logos inside the store.
"I have children at home, of course, we don't want to bring anything back to them. We have hand sanitizer and we also have gloves," said Turner.
She said she skipped shopping over the weekend when many retailers reopened.
"We had to start a line on Saturday when people were waiting outdoors and we were really worried about that but everyone was in a great mood about it," said Shannon Kemp at Style Encore.
She said customers were patient with staff adjusting to new safety precautions.
"They're really excited to be out of their house, they're really excited to be able to shop. We had so many people say I didn't realize how much I loved supporting nonessential businesses until I wasn't able to," said Kemp.
Kemp said that patience and patronage means a lot as stores like hers recover from months without income.
"We know people still aren't 100 percent comfortable coming out," said Kemp, "but we're so happy to be making any sales at this time. We'll take it."
Reopenings will continue this week. The Four Seasons Town Center mall will reopen at 11 a.m. on Tuesday.