Wednesday, October 17, 2012
We wanted to make sure that you saw the story below that is making national news regarding John Douglass’ political signs at his headquarters in Charlottesville, and the local businesses suffering as a consequence. Complaints are rolling in that his signs are scaring away new customers solely because their business happens to be located in the same shopping center that displays the Douglass signs.
Douglass supports the same failed policies of the last four years — policies that have driven us to a $16 trillion dollar debt, increased energy costs on families, and destroyed jobs across the 5th District.
Store Owners Say Political Signs Bad For Business
Newsplex
October 15, 2012
http://tinyurl.com/cu9fpsu
Play It Again Sports has been doing business in a storefront off Seminole Trail for two years, but the owner says a new neighbor in the shopping center is causing problems for business.
“We’ve had customers come in and tell us they aren’t going to shop here any more because of the signs outside, even though they aren’t our signs,” said Troy Crews, the owner of Play It Again Sports. “The tenant above us has the right to put those (signs) out there…and we are kind of suffering the consequences because of that.”
The second floor of the shopping center is home to campaign headquarters for General John Douglass, the Democrat running for the fifth district Congressional seat. His campaign had this to say about the sign complaints:
“It must be a slow news days to do a story on Douglass’s Help Virginia Families signs that have attracted our supporters to surrounding businesses. We encourage others to appeal to all voters by allowing signs on both sides.”
But small business owners say it’s not about politics, it’s about their bottom line. And contrary to Douglass’ campaign message, Crews says those signs are definitely not attracting new customers.
“Customers have said they will not shop here as long as the signs are out there and they wont shop here in the future knowing that we, as a shopping center, are supporting that political candidate-even though it’s not ‘we’ as a shopping center, it’s one tenant,” Crews said.
