‘This will not work.’ Charlotte businesses wary of enforcing another COVID mask mandate

Several Mecklenburg County business owners said they are wary of the likelihood they will once again need to enforce a mask mandate to help slow the spread of the coronavirus.

“This will not work,” Dilworth Neighborhood Grille owner Matt Wohlfarth said Monday. “It just puts me in the middle.”

He said there’s no way he’s going to enforce masks unless there’s some bite behind it, like fines.

County Manager Dena Diorio said county leaders are recommending that masks be required again throughout the county in public indoor spaces, as Mecklenburg has seen an 86% increase of COVID-19 cases over the last 14 days.

But for some local businesses, enforcing a mask mandate won’t change much.

Caribbean Hut, with two of its four locations in Charlotte, has continued to require staff to wear masks and limits seating to allow for social distancing, said assistant supervisor Chanel Ivey. They’ll ask customers to wear them again, too, if he county votes to require it.

“The only thing that will be different for us is offering masks to customers,” Ivey said.

‘A huge burden’ to enforce

At Alexander Michael’s in uptown Charlotte, owner Steve Casner has noticed more customers donning masks inside his restaurant.

“I think everybody’s a little more skittish than they were two or three weeks ago,” he said.

Casner, who is vaccinated, has started wearing a mask at work again. But inconsistencies in the guidance from leaders and public health officials — lifting restrictions only to resurrect them a few months later — have been difficult to deal with, he said.

“That’s done some damage.”

And enforcing a mandate is “a huge burden” for businesses, he said. “They put it on business owners to police that. “It’s miserable.”

Supporting vaccinations, mask mandates

It’s been difficult to make decisions for the health and safety of patrons, performers and staff members without definitive guidance from local leaders, said Gregg McCraw, owner of MaxxMusic which operates the Neighborhood Theatre.

Staff at the NoDa music venue are required to wear masks, and customers are asked to wear a masks when not actively consuming a beverage.

“We are trying to be a part of the solution, not a part of the problem,” he said. “If there is a mask mandate, it actually helps us — it reinforces our policy.”

Just two months ago, the Neighborhood Theatre opened for its first live show since March 2020. Now, McCraw is afraid of having to close the venue’s doors again.

The past several weeks have been “pure hell,” he said, as he reckons with the continued threat of COVID-19.

Beginning this weekend, Neighborhood Theatre will require proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test. The venue recently updated the text on its marquee, he said. “KEEP US OPEN,” it reads. “GET VAXXED.”

Blumenthal mandates masks

After the county announcement Monday, Blumenthal Performing Arts Center said it will require audiences to wear face covering.

“Effective immediately, all guests are required to wear masks indoors in all our venues except when consuming food or beverages in designated areas,” Blumenthal spokeswoman Becky Bereiter said.

Mandating masks shouldn’t be too unpopular with Blumenthal audiences ahead of its Broadway tours series, which starts with “Wicked” on Sept. 8 at Ovens Auditorium. In an extensive audience survey by the Blumenthal, prior to reopening for indoor performances this summer, found 88% welcomed masks, especially since social distancing seating in theaters isn’t financially viable.

The mask requirement also includes the “Immersive Van Gogh” at Camp North End.

Mask mandate could help

The Visulite Theatre is also requiring a negative test or proof of vaccination, although the venue has stopped short of requiring masks for concertgoers or staff. But owner Bernie Brown said he’d happily abide by a mask-wearing mandate if the county issued one.

“For a while, I thought leaving it up to the businesses and the individual was a good idea,” he said. But as infection rates went up, he thinks a mandate could help business owners.

“(This way) we’re all on the same level playing field,” he said.

He hopes to see more people in Mecklenburg County get the vaccine. “It’s tough to go through this over and over again,” he said.

Some music venues in Charlotte are going a step further than requiring masks with proof of COVID-19 vaccination or test.

On Saturday, Charlotte largest outdoor music venue PNC Music Pavilion said starting Oct. 4, it will require performers, fans and employees to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination or negative test results. The rule is effective for every U.S. venue and festival fully owned by Live Nation Entertainment, which also includes The Fillmore, The Underground and Charlotte Metro Credit Union Amphitheatre.

This story was originally published August 16, 2021 at 4:45 PM.