Capital Region business owners cautiously optimisic as mask mandate lifts

The state’s on again, off again mask mandate is now officially back off.

Now, it’s up to counties, cities and businesses to decide how they will proceed.

Business owners tell NewsChannel 13 they believe that this step shows there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Dave Harmon is the owner of the West Side Sports Bar & Grill. He says it’s a breath of fresh air now that the mandate is no longer in place. His staff now has the option of whether or not they want to wear a mask. He believes this is the right move because the COVID numbers are going down.

Over at Impressions of Saratoga, Marianne Barker, one of the co-owners, is happy. She says they are still going to be cautious. Some of her staff are going to continue to wear their masks.

Barker says the last few days before the mandate was lifted, they had a few customers who were impatient.

Both business owners say they will still respect customers’ wishes if they still want to wear a mask.

Hear more about how pleased they are to be moving forward without the mandate, by watching the video of Jonathan Hunter’s story.