Local

Shop owner welcomes newcomers, old faces to business after reopening

CHARLOTTE — Melissa Vandiver was excited to welcome back customers to Cotswold Marketplace Friday.

“Many of our customers are repeat customers, so we are seeing these faces for the first time in a long time,” said Vandiver.

One of those faces was Tammy Somerville.

“It’s nice to get out of the house and get to some place where you can actually talk to people and browse around a little bit,” Somerville said.

Have questions about the coronavirus pandemic and its impact on the Carolinas? We have an entire section dedicated to coverage of the outbreak -- CLICK HERE FOR MORE.

That freedom is what many people want now after being cooped up at home for weeks, even if the shopping experience looks a little different. As soon as they enter the store, customers are asked to grab a mask, take gloves and practice social distancing. Plexiglas shields are installed at the cash register.

>> We’ll bring you LIVE updates on Channel 9 Eyewitness News. Get extended coverage on the free WSOC Now app on Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV.

“I feel pretty good. I love that there is a six-foot distance, and everybody has masks, very comfortably,” Somerville said.

Vandiver had the difficult job of trying to manage the closure, so this day could come. Her store supports 12 employees and sells items from 62 small businesses. While her store was closed, Vandiver continued to pay employees and her rent through a PPP loan.

“It made a big difference in what I could do as a store owner,” Vandiver said.