LEDGEVIEW, Wis (NBC 26) -- An estimated 90-thousand people in Wisconsin we're given the green light to go back to work today. On Tuesday Governor Ever's new safer at home order allowed many non-essential businesses to open their doors to the public for the first time in over six weeks. But just because many businesses are allowed to open back up, there are some restrictions.
It's been nearly 60 days since a quaint home decor shop in Ledgeview last allowed customers to browse around the owner's shop.
"We've been doing curbside pickup. But it's one thousand times harder. You've now become a person's personal shopper over the phone and you're shopping for someone that you don't know," says Michelle Whitmore the owner of Littlemore.
Whitmore says she was ready for a change of pace after so much time dedicated to her new business model. But while she was stressed, she says she was also excited to welcome her customers back into her shop.
"Those big box stores and amazon they are going to be okay. But I know that some of my friends are going to lose their businesses and that's sad. It's going to happen."
But on Tuesday things were not running as if it were business as usual at Littlemore. The rules and limitations now in place for non-essential businesses like theirs have completely changed under the governor's new restrictions.
"We can have five customers in at a time in the store. If we reach five, what we have to do is ask if we can take their name and number and ask them to wait in the parking lot or vehicle and we'll send them a text (after a customer leaves)."
And for small mom and pop shops like this, that means if they want to remain open and sell more products than they did last week they're going to have to roll with the new expectations.
"It's hard. You're busy with a customer, one of my associates is busy with another customer, and then you have someone at the door. So we're learning as we go," says Whitmore.
And while some non-essential businesses were able to open on a limited basis on Tuesday, others like hair salons, barbershops, day spas, and tattoo parlors are still required to be closed to the public.
