JUDSONIA, Ark. – An Arkansas antique store is apologizing after a customer’s post on Facebook is shared hundreds of times showing what some are calling mass-produced racism.
“I look and I’m like ‘oh my gosh,’ I was in shock,” says customer Monica Ruiz.
Ruiz says her recent trip to Decorative Iron in Judsonia ended with her walking out with nothing but anger.
“I don’t know what to think,” says Ruiz.
Ruiz has been going from one antique store to the other as she and her friend Cody Devore prepare to open a new salon.
Ruiz says it offended her when she saw the racial segregation signs for sale.
“My kids have dealt with racial stuff at school and it kind of hit me the wrong way,” says Ruiz.
Jeannie Dotty, an employee at Decorative Iron off Highway 367, says the signs do not represent their viewpoint and they are sorry.
Dotty says the signs, which were made in China, have been thrown away.
“We’ve removed the signs. They were antique reproductions,” says Dotty.
Dotty says people have been calling from all over the country complaining.
“It is part of history but whenever you mass produce signs to sell like that in this day and age it’s really offensive,” says Devore.
Even with the store’s apology, Ruiz says she doesn’t plan on going back.
“Yes, it is part of history. That stuff belongs in a museum not to be sold,” says Ruiz.
Store employees say the signs have been in the store for several years but it’s unclear if there have been any prior complaints about the signs before today,
