Safety still first priority for some Florida Keys businesses allowed to reopen

KEY LARGO, Fla. – Unlike the rest of South Florida, certain businesses in the Florida Keys were permitted to reopen on Monday, along with the rest of the state.

Local 10 News visited some of those businesses, but they were serving only locals.

From the ding of a cash register at Bob Curtis’ Island Smoke Shop, to the clank of plates at Sushi Sake, residents in the Keys were happy to return to some sense of normalcy.

"To my customers, I am very essential," said Curtis.

Those are the sounds of monetary relief as local retail shops and restaurants opened to Monroe County residents Monday.

Safety remains a priority for many due to living amid a pandemic without a vaccine. Danny Hughes of Two Friends Patio Bar in Key West showed Local 10 News' Christina Vazquez his social distancing guidelines and safety protocols.

"We take the temperature of every employee before they start and every customer before they come in," he explained. "I have a lot of older customers and I don’t know want to put anyone at risk."

In the at-risk category himself, Hughes wears a face-covering and asks others to do so as well.

Despite having a business that relies on tourism, Hughes supports the county's decision to keep checkpoints in place, barring visitors.

“I got to pay the bills,” he said. “As long as everyone follows the rules, we should be fine.”