There’s a happy ending here. While looking around online to see what Bill Penzey’s problem is, I discovered that his sister Patty Erd and her husband Tom run a competing (but much smaller) spice business, called The Spice House. Bill Penzey Sr. and his wife started the business in the 1950s, and Patty inherited it. Bill Jr, her younger brother, started his own catalog company, Penzeys. I have no idea what the Erds’ politics are — far as I know, they could be commies, or they could be Trumpkins — but they don’t seem to make a habit of getting on their high horse and insulting their customers. Even better, they make a Bavarian seasoning!
I buy all of my spices at my local spice shop, but they have nothing in stock like the Bavarian blend. I have just ordered some from The Spice Shop for my Thanksgiving turkey — and if you’re looking for something different and delicious to try this year, I recommend the same to you.
This Bill Penzey reminds me of the proprietor of a neighborhood coffee shop on Court Street in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn, when we lived there in the late 1990s. Cobble Hill is very much a liberal place, and the kind of neighborhood where people want to support the local guy, but this shop owner was so over the top obnoxious in his left-wing politics that he drove people away. You didn’t want to go there, because the guy couldn’t stand kids, and you felt that he was constantly hovering over you judging you for failing to live up to his extremely particular standards. When Starbucks opened down the street, that was the end of him, if only because Starbucks was happy to welcome moms with strollers, and you could sit and have your cup of coffee without being judged.
UPDATE: The Spice House folks have kindly written to invite this blog’s readers to become new customers. If you’ve never ordered from The Spice House before, use the promo code NOPOLITICS to get free shipping on your first order. Isn’t that great?
I don’t usually get all wrapped around the axle about boycotts and stuff, but as a FORMER loyal fan (to the tune of HUNDREDS of dollars spent) there e-mails leading up to and after the election were just insane.
Pretty sure I can easily buy spices elsewhere.
Fine won’t give him my business.
Roger. Wilco.
How do you know the family isn’t in cahoots with each other?
Who?
Who?
I get bulk spices via Amazon. Frontier is a good brand. Buy bulk and store in the freezer to maintain freshness.
Used to buy from Penzey’s, but not after I found Amazon much cheaper.
There are other spice companies out there, a lot more:
Not really a good idea to openly profess your affiliation, one way or the other IF you rely on the General Public for your business.
You can have a ‘life’ outside your store but not really a good idea to have ANY pols picture in the window - maybe ok if YOU or a close relative etc...
When in Asphalt paving business there were NO bumper stickers allowed on any COMPANY vehicle - mine included.
And that was long before people got ‘offended’ easily.
Almost broke my mouse button heavily clicking on unsubscribe.
“Penzeys CEO: Trump voters ‘just committed the biggest act of racism’ since segregation”
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/nov/23/bill-penzey-ceo-trump-voters-just-committed-the-bi/
The CEO of a nationwide spice retail chain has accused people who voted for President-elect Donald Trump of committing “the biggest act of racism in American history since Wallace stood in the schoolhouse doorway 53 years ago.”
Penzeys Spices CEO Bill Penzey is facing backlash for comments he made in an email newsletter to customers last week, the Milwaukee Business Journal reported.
“The open embrace of racism by the Republican Party in this election is now unleashing a wave of ugliness unseen in this country for decades. The American people are taking notice,” he wrote.
Mr. Penzey stood firm by his statement in a Facebook post Thursday but admitted that not all Republicans are racist.
“For the rest of you, you just voted for an openly racist candidate for the presidency of the United States of America,” he wrote. “In your defense, most of you did so without thinking of the consequences of your candidate’s racism because, for most of you the heartbreaking destruction racism causes has never been anything you or your loved ones have had to experience.”
What an absolute @ss.
Rather DISGRUNTLED Employees as well. Only a 2.4-Star rating to WORK for Penzey’s.
https://www.glassdoor.com/Reviews/Penzeys-Spices-Reviews-E374624.htm
I usually go to Indian, Hispanic and Asian stores for my spices.
I grow my own herbs.
Never heard of Penzeys Spices- most of pour spices come from Walmart shelves, but we also have a natural foods store (locally owned and run and aptly named “The Four Seasons”) that has a huge array of spices and about anything else one who wants natural curatives/supplements could ask for.
If they can refuse spices to conservatives, how come Christians have to bake cakes for gays? I’d love to test out that theory.
so they lost less than 1% of their customers
Since I routinely delete all emails I am currently not interested in I will search for and BE SURE I CLICK ON their ‘unsubscribe’ button.
I wonder how these idiots stay in business?