SOUTH MADISON COUNTY — Greg Adams was working at his Main Street shop in Lapel last week, finishing off wooden flowerpots with willow trim.

“We’ve never been through anything like this; it’s kind of scary,” he said, referring to the COVID-19 pandemic spreading around the world.

“All the businesses are shutting down. It’s going to be hard for people.”

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Since then, state and county government have ordered, among other things, residents to stay home, except for work deemed essential and select permitted activities, such as taking care of others, obtaining necessary supplies, and for health and safety.

The battle against the virus’ spread, like the virus itself, is changing the way people live, work and play around the world, and South Madison County is no exception. Some local businesses are facing acute challenges, worrying about the future of their enterprises and the well-being of their employees and others who depend on them financially.

At The Bank Restaurant on State Street in Pendleton, owner Garry Brammer said he was forced recently to do “the hardest thing we had to do in years … we laid off all of our employees except for two.”

That’s a mix of 16 part-time and full-time workers.

“We were off to our best start in six years, by far,” Brammer said of the business.

And while he was heartened by customers who expressed support and ordered take-out meals after the state ordered dine-in areas shut, it just might not be enough to keep the doors open, he said.

“The bills are still coming in,” he said, and new headaches continue to crop up: one of his suppliers closed down recently while another has switched to COD — cash on delivery.

Any shut-down would be temporary, he said.

Julie Schnepp, co-owner of RE/MAX Legacy and president of the Pendleton Business Association, said the COVID-19 crisis is having a mixed impact on local businesses; some are taking a big hit, some continue more-or-less as usual, while yet others have benefited from the changing times.

Real estate, her primary business, is holding its own, she said — people are still listing and selling homes, with most of the work being done virtually.

But at one end of the spectrum, there are businesses struggling to contend with and survive forces beyond their control.

“I think our local business owners are incredibly hard workers; are creative in ways to run their businesses,” she said. “They are going to, I believe, do everything in their power to make it through this crisis and stay in business.”

In some cases, though, “there’s no doubt we’re going to need the government to step in,” with grants not loans, she said.

Rachele Martin, who co-owns Serendipity Hair Salons in Pendleton and Ingalls with her husband, Shawn, said they’ve come up with their own “stimulus plan” for their business — where 24 independent stylists and others make their livings.

Hair salons and many other non-essential businesses were ordered shut down last week by government order.

The Martins set up a link on their facebook page where customers can purchase e-gift cards; the customer will be able to apply those purchases to future services, while the full amount of gift cards are being forwarded to stylists for use now.

There will be “lots of overtime once we get back,” Martin said, but that’s OK.

In the end, “we’re going to make it work.

“Call me crazy,” Martin said, but “I feel like it’s my personal responsibility to make sure they’re all doing OK.”

Among the business that seem to be “thriving” right now are food delivery and grocery services, Schnepp said.

Neal Smith, part-owner of Smith Family Farms Market, located at 609 E. State St., said demand for locally produced meats at the five-year-old business “has skyrocketed” since the crisis began.

“We’re doing well, lots of volume.”

The inside of the store is now closed to the public; orders are placed at a drive-thru window, and employees deliver filled orders to waiting vehicles, where payment occurs.

The business, which previously was staffed with three or four employees, now has eight to 10 or more.

They’ve even had to call in help to help direct traffic to avoid back-ups onto State Street.

He said the business has worked hard to keep the supply of product available to the public while holding prices steady.

“It’s been a challenging time for us to figure out a plan and a system,” he said.