Jordan Beck | Daily Press Elmer’s County Market employee Thomas Thull holds a box of disposable masks while stationed outside the grocery store’s front entrance Tuesday.

Jordan Beck | Daily Press
John Romps, co-owner of the Stonehouse in Escanaba, wears a face mask outside the entrance to his restaurant Monday. A sign at the entrance, shown at left above, states face coverings are required before adding “May remove once seated!” in handwritten letters.

ESCANABA — An executive order requiring Michigan residents to wear face masks in public has led to a number of heated — and, in some cases, violent — incidents in the state since it went into effect earlier this month. Representatives of local businesses said they have not seen violence as a result of their efforts to enforce masking requirements.

The executive order went into effect on Monday, July 13. It requires businesses to prohibit unmasked customers from entering. Customers not in compliance could be hit with a misdemeanor charge and fined $500, while businesses in violation of the order could temporarily lose their license.

At Elmer’s County Market, signage about masking requirements has been posted and an employee has been stationed outside the store entrance to make sure customers are wearing masks.

“If they don’t have a mask, we offer them one,” General Manager Rod Stende said.

The executive order does allow for some exceptions, including exceptions for children under the age of five and people who cannot tolerate face coverings for medical reasons.

“If they’re medically unable to wear a mask, we just let them in,” Stende said.

According to Stende, the vast majority of customers at Elmer’s already have masks on when they enter the grocery store.

“We’ve had people that have walked away … but that’s rare,” he said.

Stende thanked local residents for their understanding.

“The public has been extremely cooperative,” he said.

Masking requirements have also been going smoothly at Jim’s Dari-Kreme.

“Most people have been complying,” Manager Austin St. Vincent said.

Similarly to Elmer’s, St. Vincent said Jim’s has begun providing masks to people who do not have them.

“Just recently, we started supplying disposable masks for our customers that do not have a mask when they come in,” he said.

As of Tuesday, no customers had been rude about the restrictions at Jim’s.

“Generally, the customers that we get here … are pretty happy,” St. Vincent said.

Meanwhile, the Stonehouse has had a more difficult time getting its customers to comply with the executive order.

“Even though the sign is posted, people are still not wearing their masks,” co-owner John Romps said.

Patrons of the restaurant are allowed to remove their masks while sitting at their tables, in keeping with another legal exception to the executive order.

“If they’re standing up, they’ve got to have a mask on,” Romps said.

Still, Romps said there has been a number of complaints related to these requirements. While some people have gotten upset, these people have not hurt anyone or damaged property at the Stonehouse.

Romps said he is looking forward to the end of masking requirements in Michigan.

“I can’t wait till it’s over,” he said.