With new rules on the horizon, and coronavirus cases climbing, some business owners think closing - at least temporarily - is the safest option for clients, customers, and staff.
In Winston-Salem, 6th and Vine in Winston-Salem reopened its patio in June - after the Governor ordered all restaurants closed to dine-in customers in March.
"We had a really strong summer. We felt very fortunate. We were doing all of the safety precautions. We wore masks all the time, and we required customers to have masks on until they were seated," explained Kathleen Barnes, owner of the wine bar and restaurant.
However, she told WFMY News 2 their time open has come to a temporary end due to rapidly rising coronavirus numbers and cooler temperatures. This will be their last weekend until weather improves. Barnes says she hopes to reopen around the end of February or early March.
"We just decided as a staff that we were not going to settle for the pressure of opening inside if we didn't feel good about it."
Barnes said, it's not only a matter of safety. It's also a financial decision - as the number of diners has dwindled.
"Financially, it’s just not responsible to stay open and keep bleeding the money when you could shutter and reopen in March in a better financial position then I would be if I tried to stay open all winter," she said.
In Greensboro, A to Zen Massage won't reopen after closing down for an extended Thanksgiving Break.
"Massage therapy is a business where you are, by the very nature of it, very close to people for a long period of time," said owner Felicia Brown, "With COVID being something that is transmitted in close contact, we just have to be extra careful."
Owner Felicia Brown says she considers it her personal responsibility to take this step. She says, COVID-19 made an impact on her early on: she's known people to get very sick and even die from the virus.
"Part of my decision was based on a plea from Cone Health, saying things have to change. People have to do something different to protect our hospital system, to keep it from overloading."
Brown says she's unsure when she will reopen.
"I wish I could tell you a date, I wish it would be next week but unfortunately, we have to consider the numbers, this percentage of positive tests and even more importantly - the hospitalization rate in our area."
