‘This is your choice.’ Businesses explain why they’re not enforcing Columbus mask order

“It’s quite un-American,” said Jon McMullen, one of the owners of Shooters of Columbus, on Wednesday as he talked to the Ledger-Enquirer about a new city mask mandate.

Columbus Mayor Skip Henderson issued an order last week that face masks be worn in public spaces within the city during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“My initial reaction was that I wasn’t going to follow the edict whatsoever, because quite frankly mask-wearing, glove-wearing, hygiene to supposedly prevent COVID is as far as I’m concerned a personal decision based on a person’s pre-existing conditions and general health,” McMullen said. “As it turns out, once we looked into it the mayor had an out clause written into it.”

The order, which went into effect at noon on August 21, requires a facial covering or mask in any public place or on city property. The masks should cover the nose and mouth at all times when it is difficult to maintain six feet of social distance between people.

Business owners are left with a choice: They can ask that patrons put on a mask when entering their establishment, or provide them with one. If a person does not put on a mask or leave the premises after a warning, a $50 civil fine may be imposed.

Businesses opt out of the mask requirements by placing a sign on all public entrances, in one-inch Arial font, that states the business will not enforce face coverings. The language was included in the local order due to Governor Brian Kemp’s most recent statewide order, which gives Georgia businesses the right to refuse to enforce mask requirements on their premises.

What businesses aren’t requiring masks?

A sign on the front door of Shooters of Columbus reads “This location does not consent to enforcement of any local face covering requirement upon this property,” per the order.

McMullen said he chooses not to wear a mask and that Shooters employees are free to wear a mask and/or gloves. He said customers have reached out to say ‘thank you,’ but that’s not the end goal, he said.

“I support all those people to make an individual decision that fits their lifestyle,” he said. “This is your choice. If you walk in with a mask, you’re as welcome as anyone else.”

Kemp’s order states that employers like Shooters should provide Personal Protective Equipment to employees, but they are not required to.

Across town at Midtown Coffee House on 13th Street, a similar sign opting out of mask enforcement is posted clearly under the hours of operation printed on the door.

Inside, customers without masks sat at tables on a busy Thursday morning. Staff behind the counter also talked to each other with no face coverings, as one person behind the register wearing a disposable mask greeted guests.

Mike Maldonado, one of the owners of the coffee house, said the business decided to post the sign because they wanted to give customers “the freedom to choose” whether they wear a mask inside the business.

“Most of our customers are loyal customers and they understand how clean we keep things and the fact that we spaced out tables,” he said. “We’ve had positive feedback in that we have customers that wear masks because they want to wear masks; we see customers that see the sign and take off their mask knowing that they have the freedom to choose.”

Maldonado said staff have to wear face coverings when they’re interacting with a customer or at the register, but not when they’re making food.

Cleanliness has always been a priority, and Maldonado said customers trust them to keep the standards high during the pandemic.

“We’ve cleaned our door handles a little bit more, cleaned our point of sale area a little bit more, so I think people are willing to give us their trust,” he said.

What businesses haven’t opted out?

Nearby at Bloomers at Midtown, customer service rep Cameron Dudley said he was aware that businesses could put up a sign opting out of enforcement, but that the business hasn’t seen a need to make that decision.

Staff members have to wear a face covering when interacting with a customer, he said.

“People are already kind of wearing masks anyways,” he said through his own face covering. “The only time (staff) are not wearing a mask is if we’re outside watering or something and we’re not around anybody. ...But in (the store), we’re wearing a mask.”

Both local businesses and national chains began issuing guidelines mid-pandemic requiring the use of masks in their stores, and some have taken the mayor’s recent order as a cue to put up signs about their mask requirements.

A sign posted outside Lizard Thicket boutique in The Landings shopping center acknowledged the mayor’s order.

“Due to updated COVID-19 regulations for the city, we will be requiring face masks to be worn while shopping in the store,” the sign reads in part, citing the time and date the order went into effect.

Despite the order stating that fines could be issued for violators, one thing the mayor has made clear about the mandate is that police will not be actively looking for violators, leaving the enforcement mainly in the hands of business owners.

The warning is meant to be informative, not punitive, he told the Ledger-Enquirer earlier this week.

“It’s not about punishing people, this is about encouraging people to wear masks, this is all about getting people to participate and doing what’s going to help the community,” he said.

This story was originally published August 31, 2020 at 7:00 AM.