from their facebook
Posted on 04/02/2017 2:17:11 AM PDT by raccoonradio
,...and various Republican faces on them
Black Forge coffee shop in Pittsburgh has drawn criticism for their punch-cards The cards depict a number of notable Republicans, including President Trump They've been the target of harassment via phone and social media A coffee shop has been the target of hateful harassment after issuing a 'punch-card' with the faces of notable Republican politicians, including President Trump.
The Black Forge coffee shop in Pittsburgh gives out their paper cards for frequent customers with their logo on the front, but on the back are the faces of Donald Trump, Rick Santorum, Ann Coulter, Mike Pence, Martin Shkreli, Pat Robertson, Bill O'Reilly, Rush Limbaugh, Mike Huckabee and Ted Cruz.
Though some argue the cafe is simply exercising their freedom of expression, co-owners say that they've been incessantly called by blocked and out-of-state numbers since news broke of their controversial coupons.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
from their facebook
It was bad business. That’s not debatable.
Like I said last time this story appeared, I had vending machines in Staten Island, Brooklyn and Manhattan.
NO ONE knew my political affiliations or religious beliefs because IT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH BUSINESS!
Dumb
The coffee shop is supposedly non partisan. When do the cards with Hillary, Warren, Michael Moore etc show up?
When Black Forge Coffee House opened its doors in Allentown a year-and-a-half ago, the metal- and punk-themed space offered a customer loyalty punch card featuring the faces of much-maligned conservative characters like commentator Ann Coulter and former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.).
It’s easy to draw conclusions from the imagery on the punch cards. Due to the size of the hole-punch used, each coffee purchase equals a hole that resembles a bullet hole through the head.
But despite that bold statement, little fanfare surrounded these loyalty cards until last week, when Black Forge changed the lineup. In addition to the faces of Coulter and Santorum, customers were also greeted by President Donald Trump and former presidential candidate Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas). Cue the backlash.
Last Friday, WPXI aired a story on the punch cards, headlined “Coffee shop rewards card brewing up controversy” and highlighting some of the negative feedback the new cards were receiving on Facebook. The story was picked up by other news outlets, causing a snowball effect that sent people to Black Forge’s Facebook page in droves.
In the week since the shop, owned by Ashley Corts and Nick Miller, announced the new card on its Facebook page, the post has garnered more than 350 comments, and the number of reviews on the page has increased more than tenfold, to nearly 3,000. So far, despite the uproar, business has remained steady. But the owners have received threats both online and over the phone.
“We support our First Amendment right to free speech. We’re not advocating violence,” Corts told Pittsburgh City Paper at the coffee shop this week. “It’s meant to be a political satire, but we really didn’t think it would start a controversy.”
The latest round of punch cards was printed on March 23, and by March 28, all 300 had been dished out. Before the backlash, Black Forge boasted a perfect five-star rating on Facebook. Now its rating has fallen to 3.7.
“Pretty much all of the reviews are from people from out of state,” says Corts. “We did this to ourselves, but we’re going to stand our ground. We’re going to continue to be who we are. We’re not going to change and we’re not going to stop printing these cards. “
Traffic on the Facebook page has increased drastically. Many commenters say Black Forge’s punch cards are a direct threat to Trump’s life. (A Florida gun-supply store drew similar ire last year when it sold shooting targets with then-President Barack Obama’s face on them. They also sold targets bearing the likenesses of presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders.) Others criticize what they see as Black Forge’s liberal views. (Corts maintains the shop is nonpartisan.)
CP has spent hours poring over the reviews and comments on the page, but even a cursory glance reveals that most of the negative comments and reviews there are from out-of-town posters. While some of these posters at least attempt to paint a picture of a customer who has entered Black Forge and sampled the coffee, others don’t even try to veil their purpose.
“Black Forge owners spread hate and disrespect for our country and its leaders. You should be ashamed of yourselves,” Candice McNeely, of San Antonio, Texas, wrote yesterday.
McNeely’s is one of the more polite posts. Coffee lends itself to fecal comparisons, and plenty of commenters have taken the bait. But those comments are tame in comparison to others, like Daniel Smith from Friscoe, Texas, who claims, “There was fetus in my scone.”
“All we can do is sit back and laugh at the people who are saying nonsense, but it’s their right,” says Corts. “You’re welcome to exercise your right not to come in here, but we won’t turn anyone away.
“The worst part is the phone calls. They’ve threatened to burn our building down.”
And nearly in tears, Corts told CP the worst messages she’s received are those calling Black Forge’s owners pedophiles.
“We’re all on this earth together. We don’t have to get along, but don’t slander people you don’t agree with,” Corts says. “When people say ‘You pee in your coffee,’ that’s funny because it’s not true. They’ve never been here. But when you go out of your way to say something like that, it hurts.”
That was smart, dp0622:) No reason to alienate half of your potential customers. :)
Z
They advertised the new cards with the opportunity to ‘take out a scumbag and be that much closer to a free coffee’.
Owner claims no violence, but cards let customers “take out” Trump? Sounds like an invite to assasinate the President to me.
I do not understand the hatred for the president. It is way past reason or logic.
NO ONE knew my political affiliations or religious beliefs because IT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH BUSINESS!
= = = = = = = = = = = = =
AMEN!!!
When a business ‘advertises’ a pol, you can figure you are alienating about 1/2 your customers/potential customers.
Obviously some people don’t care but..when I was in Asphalt Business the standing rule was NO BUMPER STICKERS ON COMPANY VEHICLES.....
The ONLY exception was they could put a Military Sticker on and it was preferred the driver did ‘time’.
In the mid 90s I had a pickup at Democrat National HQs in DC. Pick up was for 1230 to Philadelphia and I got there at 1215 hoping it be ready...at 1230 not ready, told about half and hour or so...I told them that all they get is 15 min ‘grace time’ and I would leave at 1245...they ‘begged’ and I said “At least put Rush on and I may make an exception”
There was a quick huddle and the radio remained on PBS(??)
Barbara Boxer came in and thanked me for waiting. I did recognize her— if you can see her in a crowded room you can recognize her —.
I had a ships hat on - she pointed at it and asked if that was my home town on the hat — That alone showed me what a ‘genius’ she was(n’t).
I said ‘the least you can do is put Rush Limbaugh on the radio’...in a few minutes the dulcet tones of Rush Limbaugh were filling the room.
I DID charge them waiting time....
I don’t remember if they asked what station he was on...<: <:
GREAT story :)
And yeah, I avoided bumper stickers too.
I was never a big fan of them anyway except military.
So as to understand it, you must understand self-loathing and that all LIBS are diagnosable lunatics.
Cant you feel their hate?
Lets see............how can we attract more customers to our business
My guess is that It was brilliant marketing. Their customer base is to the left of Starbuck’s so they have not alienated them at all. They are heroes to potential customers and have gotten international publicity.
That was my thought. The old ones had Coulter and Santorum, so they probably drove out conservatives already.
“but don’t slander people you don’t agree with”
as Cort turns on CNN
All that and they’re just a damned coffee shop? What a country!
They think they’re so “cool”. They’re not cool, they’re assholes!
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