Businesses in the middle of mask mandate battle

The owner of True Value Hardware says his employees have had to deal with angry customers on both sides of the mask mandate controversy.

---the governor's mask mandate upsetting many people - on both sides of the issue.

Some angry businesses aren't enforcing it - others mad they are.

Action news now reporter kristian lopez spoke to one local business owner and joins us live in chico.

The owner of true value hardware here says they've had to deal with customers yelling at employees - angry about wearing a mask - others angry they're not making people wear a mask.

Gary powers/owner of chico truevalue: we've had people screaming in here, using profanity calling some of my younger employees names i won't repeat, we've had people threaten physical violence.

Chico true value owner gary powers says businesses are caught in the middle of the mask mandate battle.

Gary powers/owner of true value hardware: the problem we are encountering as a business is a fair amount of angry customers that sometimes are borderline on the abusive side.

There's a lot of people on both sides.

People resent wearing them they don't want to wear them and then there's people on the other side that want everyone to wear masks and get upset when people don't wear masks.

Kristian stand up: even though they have this sign up on their door asking people to please wear masks, powers says if someone decides they don't want to wear one there's not much they can do about it.

Gary: we are not law enforcement, we are not a government entity the bottom line is if someone doesn't comply we don't have many options but to ask them to leave but if they refuse to leave then we have to call the police but the police and sheriff's department have said they are not going to respond to the mask calls.

Gary says the problem has been getting worse lately and it makes him worried for his employee's safety.

Gary: they need to understand we are a business, we are not the health department, or police we cannot force people to comply without putting ourselves at bodily risk we are trying to provide a service that's all we are trying to do.

Powers says they have been in compliance with all of the state guidlines and continue adjusting as they keep changing.

Live in chico kl action news now coverage you can count on.

Live in chico kl action news now coverage you can count on.

True value is also offering curbside pick up for those who don't feel comfortable going inside the store.

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