ARCHDALE, N.C. (WGHP) — There may not have been an industry harder hit, during the pandemic, than the food and beverage industry.

Monica Moyer was, perhaps, a little lucky that she is in a specialty – she owns a bakery – and it seems people will always want a sweet treat. Even though she had enough business to survive the pandemic, things are definitely better now.

“Business is starting to pick up. We’re seeing that due to everything starting to open up a little bit more, we’re getting a little busier,” Moyer said. “Mother’s Day and graduations hit us last weekend, so we were really busy due to that. We’re just trying to bring out some of our summer products, fruitier things, things with fresh fruit.”

The easing of restrictions by the state government is definitely helping, though there are some things that will keep a business owner worried.

“We want to look at it in a positive way with everyone getting their vaccinations and things of that sort but there are still CDC guidelines I have to follow with the food industry and a lot of people who feel they that since they’ve been fully vaccinated, they don’t have to follow those guidelines but we can be charged with penalties if someone should come in and see that,” Moyer said.

No one, of course, knew what to expect with the pandemic but Moyer had the added difficulty of being new to the business and not knowing exactly what to expect even in good times.

She inherited two of her staff when she bought the bakery and, generally, hasn’t had the difficulty staying fully staffed as some food operations have.

“I am blessed to say that my staff has been here with me the whole time, I haven’t had any problems,” Moyer said.

And she makes sure they share in the success Archdale Bakery is experiencing.

“When we have an excellent week or something like this, I always try to be like, ‘Here’s a little something extra, thank you.’ Fridays we are always busy so I always tell them, don’t worry about lunch, lunch is on me.”

See what Monica expects the rest of this year to bring in this edition of our Project 2021 series.