Rockford Sun

Tom Siehoff does not wear a mask in his Roscoe hardware store due to a medical condition.

He owns the Ace Hardware in the Roscoe Village Center. 

The 67-year-old has a medical exemption, but that has not stopped those in the neighborhood from speaking about him to the authorities and from the Winnebago County Health Department from citing him and trying to shutter his business. 

JB Pritzker

“I personally do not wear a mask in my store, OK,” Siehoff told the Rockford Sun. “So there have been complaints to the Winnebago County Health Department meeting in reference to that.”

As a result, Siehoff is the only business in Winnebago County that is not a restaurant or bar to receive closure notices. 

The closure notice comes less than a year after Siehoff’s other location went out of business. 

Pritzker is being challenged openly by businesses across the state.  

Siehof said the closure order is “negatively impacting my business by saying I'm not compliant.” 

More importantly, Sieohff said the environment fostered by Pritzker has damaged his business. 

“People do come in and say, I heard your are closed. We heard you, are closed,” Siehoff said. “So yeah. So I would say yes, it's probably hurt my business.”

Siehoff’s store was supposed to be subjected to closure last Friday. 

When Friday came and went and nothing happened, Siehoff said he reached out to the local health department who granted him a verbal waiver. 

“They finished that closure order last Friday afternoon. I’ve been open since,” he said. 

However, Siehoff said he wants formal clearance. 

“I am waiting on a callback from Dr. (Sandra) Martell but she apparently doesn't think it's too pressing,” he said. 

Siehoff said he has been disappointed by Martell and the Winnebago Department of Health throughout the ordeal. 

“I'm apparently not important enough,” Siehoff quipped regarding Martell not responding to him.