New Order Issued By Governor Gives More Freedom To Non-Essential Businesses

GOLDEN TRIANGLE, Miss. (WCBI)- A shelter in place order is being extended for the state of Mississippi for at least another week.

Governor Tate Reeves made the announcement Friday morning.

Governor Reeves’ announcement offers a little hope to some businesses that have been considered non-essential.

The Flower Girl and Wedding Florist in Columbus was one of the many non-essential establishments forced to limit its business.

Owner Loretta Shelton spent Friday evening cutting and making flower arrangements.

She said she’s excited and thankful that she can now offer more services to her customers.

“I’ve been praying every day, Lord please open up some, just a little, just something that we can do a little more,” said Shelton.

That prayer has been answered.

The governor’s order allows non-essential businesses like her floral shop, to now offer delivery, drive through, and curbside services to customers.

“It’ll help me pay my bills that’s for sure,” said Shelton. “Owning a small business is hard, and our community is our only way to make our money.”

Shelton admits, her business has taken a blow over the past few weeks due the COVID-19 outbreak.

That’s why the long-time florist said this decision couldn’t have come at a better time.

“This is our busy season,” Shelton expressed. “First Sunday in May decorations are coming up and we know we’ll have a lot of people who want to pick up flowers to go decorate the cemeteries, so that will make me very happy to know that people can come and get their flowers, so we’re ready.”

Meanwhile, restaurants like the Central Grill Station in Starkville, are expecting to see a steady flow in business with shelter in place order being extended.

“We kind of expect to probably stay the same as far as the next week, lunch sales a little bit softer, dinner sales will hopefully kind of flow up a little bit,” said Terry Long, general manager of the Central Grill Station in Starkville.

While Long said he wants to see his business re-open, he also understands the risk that comes with that.

So for now Long days they’ll continue doing curbside deliveries until the governor says otherwise.

“We are going to wait until the guidelines come out,” Long explained. “We got a couple different ideas that we are kind of playing with. We are going to wait and see what the government says. If they come out and say that it’s a limited number, certain businesses, that kind of thing, we’re going to follow those guidelines, but we have game plans in place for multiple different things.”

Both the Central Station Grill and the Flower Girl and Wedding Florist said they’re dedicated to giving customers quality service during these trying times.

With the extension, the shelter in place order will remain in effect until 8 A.M on April 27th.