As Governor Roy Cooper begins easing restrictions on some businesses starting Friday, local retail stores are taking precautions to open safely.
Some stores are limiting the number of people allowed inside or offering shopping by appointment for customers with health risks.
Andy Ellen is the president of the North Carolina Retail Merchants Associations. Ellen says it's crucial that customers can trust retailers.
"It's incumbent upon the retailer to make sure that the customer feels safe and that they see that the retailer has done the things they're supposed to do," he said. "They want the 6-foot increments on the floor at the point of sale, that they're doing frequent cleanings of high touch areas like countertops."
Clothing boutiques will be taking other measures, like not allowing people to try on clothes, or steaming clothes immediately to sanitize the merchandise.