June 2020 by Michael W.
We went shopping today at this Blakeney store. This is where we have shopped for at least 13 years and we do all of our prescription business there as well. There were multiple customers who were not wearing masks. I brought this to the attention of the assistant store manager , Michael, and not only did he not social distance from me, he told me that he was not obligated to enforce the state mandate. There were two customers without masks who passed by while I was speaking with him. He did nothing to offer them masks or to address the state mandate. It is my understanding that if a store does not comply with the mandate, they can be cited. Supposedly, if a customer does not comply, he or she can be cited for trespassing. So, when I was dismissed by Michael, I called the corporate office. I explained everything to the lady who answered the phone and she said that the Harris Teeter stores would not police people not wearing masks. She said that they can't be sure of people who might be carrying guns and therefore they will not put their employees at risk by asking them to enforce the mandate. I tried to explain that they were putting their employees at greater risk by not requiring masks. When I told her that, she hung up on me. This occurred on Monday June 29 around 4:30 pm. / Clearly, none of this was appropriate. We will take our business to Publix and Trader Joes. While I hate losing our treasured relationships with the pharmacists in this store, we will not subject ourselves to such ill regard. I plan to report this to the Mecklenburg Public Health Department and I may also write to the Governor's office in Raleigh.