Rising cases, trouble enforcing masking forces Holly Springs ice cream shop to switch to only curbside pickup

A phone signals to Mama Bird's Ice Cream employee Natalie Taylor that a customer is waiting outside.

"We have to go outside and bring them ice cream," said Taylor.

The shop's owner, Lesley Richmond, said she's worried about the spike in coronavirus cases and conflicts with customers who refuse to wear a mask inside. She said she made the decision to close down indoor service and dining for the first time since last fall.

"To keep, not just my staff safe, but to keep these customers and their children safe, I just felt like it was a good time for us to take a step back," she said.

Some owners worried about loss of business as Raleigh mask mandate goes back into place

Richmond added that her family is experiencing the spike in coronavirus cases firsthand. They're in quarantine for one more day after an exposure to the virus.

"We figured [that] it's really starting to hit home, and we want everyone to be safe," said Richmond.

Richmond said she also doesn't want her employees in a difficult spot to enforce another mask mandate.

"Knowing the situation back previously when we were allowed to open back up, but we had to require mask mandates ... we knew what a struggle it was for the kids mentally and so we didn't want to do that to them this time around," explained Richmond.

The NC Retail Merchants Association sent a letter to local officials raising concerns about enforcing mask mandates.

"They need to be the responsible party for enforcing it and not put frontline employees in that position," said NC Retail Merchants Association president Andy Ellen. "We want to protect both customers and the staff, and provide a safe place for them to work -- this makes it harder to do that."

Currently, the town of Holly Springs is not taking part in Wake County's mask mandate. Richmond said that makes it even more confusing for customers.

"It's hard for me to approach another adult ... I can't even fathom a child, a teenager, going to another adult and saying, 'Please leave or please put on a mask,'" said Richmond.

Taylor said she's had to deal with customer conflicts the last time masks were required inside the shop.

"Some pretty nasty people and some pretty nasty comments. I know when I was working, at least twice I had people come in and argue with me about wearing masks," said Taylor.

She added that she hoped customers understand the change and treat the shop's workers with gentleness.

"Just be kind and polite to us -- and just be good people," said Taylor.