HENRICO COUNTY, Va. -- Back in business is the theme in Short Pump, as some stores in the mall were allowed to reopen -- with strict regulations -- on Friday.
“It was nice to get out and feel like we were back," Matthew Fink said.
Fink owns Fink’s Jewelers in Short Pump Town Center.
The family-owned business reopened Friday after Governor Northam allowed Virginia to start Phase One of reopening. He previously shut down the state in late March in an effort to keep people home to slow the spread of COVID-19.
“It’s been a real economic strain on us,” Fink said. “You just never think in your head if we have no revenue, especially in business.”
Fink said his business actually saw a good number of customers Friday.
“I had a question for our assistant manager and I didn’t hear back from him for a few hours because he was so busy which is exactly what you want," Fink said. "Our associates are wearing masks and gloves. We’re sanitizing every piece of jewelry that clients try on. We’ve got everything that could imagine in place.”
While restaurants with patios and some businesses around the state were allowed to reopen with restrictions Friday, restaurants in the City of Richmond were now. Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney asked Governor Northam to delay the city’s reopening for an additional two weeks.
"My heart goes out to workers in restaurants, and hotel industries," Fink said. "I mean everything comes to a halt.”
In the meantime, Fink said his business will continue to take proper precautions.
"I think that us, as well as a lot of other local businesses, are going to just have consistently re-evaluate what they’re doing every day, how they’re operating based on what’s happening out there in the world," Fink said.