Name: Dover’s Far Out Diner closes amid controversy over Black Lives Matter signs
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Dover’s Far Out Diner closes amid controversy over Black Lives Matter signs

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&nbsp;DOVER — Ben Troy, co-owner of The Far Out Diner, announced Thursday on social media that he and his wife Jessica were walking away from the business due to a dispute with landlord and co-owner Sean LaRose over Black Lives Matter signage. The move resulted in the immediate closure of the neighborhood eatery and fueled a social media tirade.LaRose said he asked the Troys to take down three Black Lives Matter signs that had been in front of the Hot Rod City building on Oak Street for three weeks after receiving complaints about them and a threat of a boycott."I support the Black Lives Matter movement 100%," LaRose said, "but I was concerned about the economic and personal safety of my tenants. I made the hard and admittedly misguided decision to ask the Far Out Diner tenants to remove the signs from the outside of the property in order to protect the various businesses that reside within my building."Hot Rod City houses five businesses."My intention for the removal of the signs was not to ignore or denounce the Black Lives Movement, but to create a neutral environment for all those entering our doors," LaRose said. "I recognize that this silence is seen as a lack of empathy toward those BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and people of color) members of the community I so love, and for that I am extremely sorry. As long as I am the owner, the doors of Hot Rod City will always be open to and free of judgment to any person, regardless of race."In an interview Thursday, Troy said requesting the removal of the signs and bowing to the threat supported systemic racism and undercut his family and business values."I understand we are in a recession and trying to get by is terrifying, but businesses can get by and not cater to old racist ideas," Troy said. "I respect that Sean was doing what he thought he had to do, even if I strongly disagree with it. As businesspeople, we have to find ways around cowering to or catering to these kinds of people. And as a human race, we have to be ready to stand up and say, ‘No, this is not how we work.’"On Facebook, Troy described how he and Jessica were asked to take down the signs and wrote, "Our family in this business has always worked to cultivate a space of acceptance and love that we’d hoped would be contagious in our community. Without that piece of our family-driven heart and soul, we can no longer operate in that space, in that partnership. Thank you for the good times and the joy, spread love and stay strong."The announcement spurred a stream of responses mostly supporting the Troys and condemning LaRose’s actions. LaRose, a mechanic in Dover for the last 21 years who specializes in the restoration of classic cars, said his business’ social media pages became inundated with comments such as "Don’t go here unless you are a white supremacist."LaRose said he understood where the anger comes from and regretted his actions."Four years ago, I purchased the old Dover armory with the intention of creating a multi-faceted building where people can come to enjoy classic cars, bikes, good music and a bite to eat," he said. "I am a business-owner, a landlord and a member of the Dover community. My dream for this space has always been to bring people of common interests and hobbies together to enjoy a moment of nostalgia and peace during their everyday lives. That peace was disrupted this past week and it is with great pain that I say I am to blame for that."Troy said sacrificing clients who don’t support equitable human rights is a way to take a stand and support the Black Lives Matter movement."This is what every business has to decide right now," he said. "Do you put income ahead of the lives of Black families? If the threat results in a boycott of people with racist ideals, that should be relief, that should be a win."It’s not a problem with signs, it’s a problem with the world view of the guy (who made the threat). 2020 is going to be in the history books and we want to be on the right side of this."The Far Out Diner would have been four years old this September.

&nbsp;DOVER — Ben Troy, co-owner of The Far Out Diner, announced Thursday on social media that he and his wife Jessica were walking away from the business due to a dispute with landlord and co-owner Sean LaRose over Black Lives Matter signage. The move resulted in the immediate closure of the neighborhood eatery and fueled a social media tirade.LaRose said he asked the Troys to take down three Black Lives Matter signs that had been in front of the Hot Rod City building on Oak Street for three weeks after receiving complaints about them and a threat of a boycott."I support the Black Lives...

Dover’s Far Out Diner closes amid controversy over Black Lives Matter signs

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