NORTH ADAMS, Mass. - Owning the Dragon Well Tea Shop in North Adams is a labor of love for Will Schmitt.

"Throughout my life, tea has been a source of comfort. It's good for studying, it's good for detoxing, good for just putting yourself 'in the zone' so to speak," Schmitt said.

He opened the shop last March, so he's had to constantly adjust to new COVID-related restrictions.

He closed down for a month after they reduced his capacity inside to just three peoplem, but now he's reopening by appointment-only.

"Now I can offer up to 14 appointments on the days that I'm open, and be able to clear things out and reset, and really just keep the traffic, keep parties separated. I feel like that's the most important thing right now," Schmitt said.

Even though Schmitt says personal interactions are the backbone of his business, online ordering and delivery is what helped him get through the past month.

"I didn't want to do mail-order, it seemed like the most impersonal form of business, and this is sort of a creative and social project, so my work around was I'll write notes," Schmitt said. "I write thank-you notes to my customers and I'll text them when I'm working on it or maybe throw something in extra for them."

Schmitt said he'll spend the next few months expanding the space and he hopes to turn the shop into an evening gathering spot, hosting writing and other creative groups, later this year.

Schmitt said, "Having a place open at night, that can be social and inspiring, and also, not necessarily intoxicating, is an idea that just resonates so strongly with me."