Tennessee Mall evicts business for anti Obama merchandise

Tell the Mall what you think:

ADDRESS:
2011 North Roan Street
Johnson City, TN 37601

PHONE: (423) 282-5312

FAX: (423) 282-0819

GENERAL MANAGER:
Tembra Aldridge - taldridg@glimcher.com

MARKETING DIRECTOR:
Marsha Hammond - mhammond@glimcher.com

OPERATIONS DIRECTOR:
Randall Miller - rmiller@glimcher.com

SPECIALTY LEASING REPRESENTATIVE:
Melinda Davis - mdavis@glimcher.com

REGIONAL LEASING REPRESENTATIVE:
Meg Pechilio - MPechili@glimcher.com

The story:

Dan Fuchs said business was just starting to pick up at his kiosk in the Mall at Johnson City.

Fuchs business, the Graphic Edge, printed slogans and pictures on items such as coffee cups, bumper stickers and T-shirts. He said more than half of his business came from the sale of anti-Obama merchandise. Bumper stickers with slogans such as SOS: Stop Obamas Socialism, Nobama, and Chicago got the party, but the country got the hangover were displayed around the small stand.

Now it appears Fuchs is out of business at the mall, but mall officials say this decision was not based upon political views.

Friday afternoon, Fuchs was handed a lease termination notice by mall officials and signed by Mall General Manager Tembra Aldridge. The letter states that the option to terminate the lease agreement is effective 11:59 p.m. today and that he must vacate the mall premises and remove his property before then.

Fuchs said he was given no reason for this termination and was shocked and upset. Thursday evening, Fuchs said mall officials met with him and told him to take down the anti-Obama items on display by closing time or face immediate eviction.

I was upset about it, of course, he said Friday prior to receiving the notice. Thats my livelihood.

Fuchs had been in business at the mall for around two months and hadnt initially set out to create anti-Obama items. One day, he said a customer asked for an anti-Obama shirt to be printed. A few days later, he said another customer asked for another similar item.

The some of these items were put on display and most were completed upon customer request, Fuchs said. He said that around 60 percent of items being sold out of the kiosk was anti-Obama merchandise.

By Friday morning, Fuchs said these items had been take down.

Marsha Hammond, the malls marketing director, has a different take on that meeting. She said that Aldridge and Melinda Davis, the malls specialty leasing representative, suggested that Fuchs also display items in support of Obama. The mall had received several complaints from customers regarding the anti-Obama items, she said. Hammond also said that it was Fuchs decision to remove the items completely from display.

That is not true, Fuchs said. I was given no choice. I was given, (Thursday) night at about 4:30, the option of taking it down or get out, receive an eviction at closing time.

Fuchs said that while he never anticipated any, he was aware of customer complaints prior to Thursdays meeting. Hammond said, and Fuchs confirmed, that several weeks prior to Thursdays meeting, Davis came by the kiosk to suggest Fuchs display pro-Obama items which would allow him to continue to display anti-Obama items. Friday, prior to receiving the termination notice, Fuchs said he would comply with this suggestion.

The anti-Obama merchandise sold at the kiosk is not necessary his viewpoint, Fuchs said. He again said most were completed upon customer request and were displayed as work samples.

I support his office, he said I might not like him, but I support his office.

Fuchs also said that he would have printed anti-Republican items at customer request and has refused to print some vulgar items. He said that his stand wasnt exclusive to the display of anti-Obama items, but bumper stickers with slogans such as Support Our Troops and ETSU Pride were also on display. Still, he said the anti-Obama items typically got a good response from mall patrons passing by.

People would look at them and laugh or whatever, and I would always ask what do you think about it? Do you approve? or some silly little remark, he said. And I would say that probably 95 percent were positive, only 5 percent were not.

While Hammond said the mall is a private property and officials do not wish to see it used as a political forum, she said the mall does not conduct its business based on political views and that the termination of Fuchs lease is due to a matter between him and the mall.

Before he received the lease termination, Fuchs said his lease was set to expire Dec. 31 and that he planned to be around for the holiday season.

I certainly hope Im here to take care of the Christmas business, he said.

Since receiving the notice, however, Fuchs said he now intends to continue to sell anti-Obama items via the Internet.

http://www.johnsoncitypress.com/News...e.php?ID=71327

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• tennessee
• mall
• evicts
• business
• anti
• obama
• merchandise

[OSC092]

Who cares what people think, people can sell whatever the want. This lady in charge of the mall is a bitch, if it had been Dubba on the stickers there wouldn't even be a story.

[saylean]

Free speech! Unless its againt the Dems or Obama...then its racism or "we need both sides".

Stick it too em old man, dont put up with this. NObama 2012.

[MajorVanceAstro]

@saylean And that is the Truth!!! Can they handle the truth? friggin liberal whining babies!

[utubecenseorstruth]

This is an outrage in this country

Does this "lady" who looks white have any racial pride? it is people like her that are why the country is going to hell liberal whites

[jimjonesable]

@sage0857 one of foxs major shareholders is a political muslim,so don't expect honesty on there.

[zeroboarder95]

he doesnt have to sell pro obama if he doesnt want to, fuck our country

[garciadelacadena]

They should take advantage of the wonders of e-commerce, I am pretty sure he will sell his merchandise like pancakes after hearing about the story.

[wildbill9919]

I wonder if the same thing would have happened if Obama's last name was Republican instead of Democrat. Probably not. If the old man bashed a republican, he would have been praised by the American people.

[maxwolf13]

Does seem pretty racist, but this is the united stated where 85% of the population is under educated so who cares, let the man sell his stickers. I really don't think he's hurting anyone.

[lebinjctn]

I live in Johnson City.... and in this mall today you can buy Dildos and Sex TOYS...

Am I offended? YES! I do not want my daughter to be exposed to sex toys while shopping.

[laughablejustice]

Dan was a dirty, dirty businessman. He got his due. You know, karma is a bitch. Dan is very underhanded, manipulative and deceitful in business.

[ITZDAMOBB]

Exactly