Non-essential retailers and gyms will be able to reopen this week in Hamilton County, including Chattanooga, as county Mayor Jim Coppinger continues to follow the state’s lead on lifting COVID-19 related restrictions on industries affected by the virus in recent weeks.
Coppinger released a statement Tuesday afternoon saying that all retail businesses in the county will be reopened on Wednesday, which Gov. Bill Lee announced late last week for 89 of the state’s 95 counties.
Hamilton County, as one of the largest in the state, has been allowed to make its own decisions on reopening and has followed the state each step of the way as restaurants were allowed to resume dine-in service on Monday and nonessential retailers like boutiques are allowed to reopen Wednesday.
“All retail stores shall comply with the guidelines found in the ‘Tennessee Pledge: Reopening Tennessee Responsibly’ document, found on Hamilton County’s website at www.HamiltonTN.gov,” the statement read, urging business owners to follow safety precautions and to only operate at 50% of their individual building capacity, despite a lack of enforcement measures in place by the state or county.
Coppinger told the Times Free Press after sending the statement that his decision would definitely apply to the city of Chattanooga. Coppinger said the governor’s office clarified that the county had the authority on this decision following confusion between the city and state about restaurant and retail reopening authority.