NP Rank:
Anti-Obama Kiosk asked to leave Tennessee Mall
MALL SAYS NO TO NOBAMA PARAPHANILIA
After receiving several complaints from customers about anti-Obama materials, a Johnson City, Tennessee mall has asked a kiosk manager to leave the premises.
The kiosk, run by Daniel Fuchs, called "Graphic Edge" , sold anti-Obama shirts, cups, and other items, some of them labeled "Nobama" or "Stop Obama's Socialism".
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 Obama’s 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. “That’s my livelihood.”
Crowd Power
-
smkovalinsky
New York, New York, United States




Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (4)
at 07:00 on September 29th, 2009
good for the mall
at 08:16 on September 29th, 2009
Bad for Free Speech.
at 09:07 on September 29th, 2009
With all that negativity during Bush's tenure, I wonder why nobody opened such kiosks which sold anti-Bush paraphernalia?
Do we see a growing under current of organized anti Obama sentiment? Looking at the bigger picture, it may well be something organized the GOP and not some individual with a 'funny' sounding name.
What say you?
- reply
Graphic Edge (not verified)at 14:04 on September 30th, 2009
“We thank all the viewers, readers and listeners for your ongoing support. Your responses, emails and telephone calls have been overwhelming.”Graphic Edge has reopened online www.graphicedgeonline.com , and a portion of the proceeds from sales will go to our legal fund to help in our fight against our wrongful eviction from the Mall at Johnson City.The website will be expanding and evolving over the next several weeks. Please keep checking back, as we will be adding new merchandise and special offers.For those who wish to have a custom order, please contact us by email at graphicedgeonline@gmail.comThanks again, Team Graphic Edge