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St. Charles business and customers debate over mask rule

A Play Street Museum employee had to call the cops after a family refused to wear their masks properly.

ST CHARLES, Mo. — Carron Hakim loves bringing her two-year-old son to the Play Street Museum in St. Charles, even if she has to wear a mask inside.

"Honestly, I'm not a huge fan of wearing them but if I come to a business that has a sign on them that says masks are required, I'm going to put them on," Hakim said.

"Small spaces are important for young development and letting them explore independently on their own, but it's not that great for 6 feet distancing with COVID," Play Street Museum owner Nicole Simon said.

She requires masks for people ages 5 and up, whether they're vaccinated or not.

"We do require the masks to keep the little ones safe, especially that aren't vaccinated. Whether or not you want your kids vaccinated or not. Some people do and some people just feel really uncomfortable without the protocols in place," Simon said.

One family didn't take too well to the mask rule, even when Store Manager Abby Gatzke told them over the phone before they arrived, and reminded them during their visit.

"The two ladies in the group were at least having them on their faces the entire time," Gatzke said.

She says the problem got worse when the man they were with returned from getting a drink.

"He didn't have the mask at all, so I walked up to him and asked 'do you still have the mask I gave you?' He said 'Yes' took it out of his pocket, waited for me to walk away and put it back in his pocket, which was really frustrating," Gatzke said.

After reminding the family several times, it lead to an argument. When they refused to leave, an employee called the police.

"Security ended up coming and then the police ended up coming because they wouldn't leave and they wouldn't wear their masks properly, so it kind of just bigger than I think it needed to be," Simon said.

The St. Charles Police Department mediated the argument, and the family left. Hakim says if you enter a business, you need to follow their rules.

"It's up to the businesses to make those choices and if I choose not to wear one then I don't need to come here," Hakim said.

The family signed waivers, agreeing to follow the protocols and paid the entry fee.

The owner didn't' feel comfortable releasing the surveillance video.

The St. Charles Police Department spokesperson Tom Wilkison says businesses have the right to ask you to leave if you don't follow their rules. 

He said if you don't follow the rules, and you don't leave, it would be considered trespassing.

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