NORTH BAY — A North Bay businessman says he is not a racist.
Jeff Pacey has owned Kitchenomics located on Seymour Street since the early 1990s. His business is taking a lot of heat on social media after residents shared the "business hours" sign at this front door which reads "China Virus Special Store Hours."
The sign was taken down on the weekend.
The inappropriate slang term for COVID-19 has caused outrage on social media locally and beyond.
"I won't be shopping at Kitchenomics again, despicable," one area resident posted on social media after seeing the sign.
"A disgusting portrayal of racism posted on the store doors of Kitchenomics in North Bay today," another woman stated via social media.
"I bought my giant wok there a while back to try and support local businesses, that will be the last cent they ever get of mine," another shopper stated.
The sign has been shared among anti-hate and anti-racism groups on social media as well.
"I never considered that people would perceive it as a racist statement," Pacey told BayToday Sunday afternoon.
"I put that sign together really without any thought. I have family members who are not white, I have hired staff who have been visible minorities in the past. I don't really look at people from their race, I look at them as an individual."
But perhaps the sign was an indication of some frustration due to the constant changing hours to meet with the restrictions that have continued to evolve over the past year.
"I apologize because I did put that out there in an off-handed way," he admitted.
"I apologize for any offense that it has caused people."
He admitted that he does feel some frustration toward the "Chinese Communist Party" over the multiple media reports that it was not open about the dangers of COVID-19 back in January of 2020.
"I am human, I get frustrated but it has nothing to do with race," he added.
Pacey says it hurts hearing the stories of residents asking for shoppers to boycott his store due to the China Virus sign.
"I don't like the idea and it is hurtful but I do not want to play the victim here either," he said.
"I naively made a mistake and people have a right to voice their opinion. I just do not participate in social media so I really do not have any way to respond.
"I guess I cannot do anything about some of those who want to boycott us, nothing is going to change their mind."
