Abstract: A retractable barrier system for inhibiting access to designated private and public areas both indoors and outdoors, including by way of example but not limitation, retail and warehouse aisles and the like, includes a flexible screen retractable and extensible from a rotatable rod coupled to a mounting member, the mounting member having an attachment mechanism for coupling with a receiving member, wherein a winding mechanism is coupled to the rotatable rod for retractably receiving and extending the flexible screen, the flexible screen is comprised of material having a sufficient modulus of elasticity to promote substantially smooth retractably receiving thereof and may further include tapering between ends thereof, and the winding mechanism may include a guide member having a surface of sufficient diameter oriented substantially perpendicular to the flexible screen to guide the flexible screen upon retractably receiving the screen.