UPPER MARLBORO, Md. — "No masks in there. Not one employee," said Marcus Limes as he walked out empty-handed after going in looking for lunch at the packed Dutch Village Farmers Market here in Upper Marlboro.
The indoor Thursday, Friday and Saturday market is well-known for great meats and produce -- and now for explicit defiance of Prince George's re-imposed indoor public mask mandate.
Prince George's reinstated the mask rule on Sunday in the face of sky-rocketing COVID cases in a county already racked by the pandemic.
Leslye Dwight contacted WUSA9 Thursday night about the market flouting the rule.
"It's a complete and utter disrespect to be able to come into our community, a minority community, and not even be concerned about the safety and the well-being of your, of your patrons, of your customers," she said.
A sign above the main entrance warns "This is a Mask Free Environment... Shop at your own Risk."
Blanca Ellis, who works for Prince George's schools and was heading inside with a big group of women was pretty unhappy at the news. "I think we need to be good citizens and care about each other," she said.
I spoke to a man who said he was the manager of the market. He would only give his name as Elmer, and he didn't want to go on camera.
He said he was aware of the indoor mask mandate, but did not plan to enforce it. He said people have a right to choose in this country.
Records show at least 9 people have already complained to the county. A spokesman says inspectors warned the business and will follow up again.
"It's not clear how much enforcing we're going to be doing. Everyone is still talking about it," said an inspector we found in the parking lot.
The market manager says most of the shopkeepers are Amish or Mennonite, and that other than three locals, the rest come in from Pennsylvania. On Friday, the market was packed with customers, but I only saw one worker wearing a mask.
"This has everything to do with how you value the people of Prince George's County... It's an absolute insult," said Dwight.
She fears especially for the unvaccinated children who are shopping here with their families.
"Under the age of 12, you don't have a choice to get vaccinated. Families come here to shop, families come here to congregate and socialize and you're basically jeopardizing the lives of our children. In addition to jeopardizing the lives of lots of the adults in our community," she said.
The Montgomery County Board of Health will vote on the measure during a special meeting Thursday.