Local Businesses Show Support for Twin Cities Protests
Pizza Luce drawing attention by suspending police discounts at all nine of its restaurants
DULUTH, Minn., and SUPERIOR, Wis. – Some businesses across the Northland are showing support for the protests happening in the Twin Cities, and some are turning heads with that support.
Pizza Luce is one company that drew a lot of attention with a social media post made Tuesday night.
The Minnesota-based pizza chain announced on Facebook it is suspending police discounts at its nine restaurants, including in Downtown Duluth.
Here’s the full Pizza Luce post:
“Thank you to all of you who have been rallying, protesting and demanding justice, not only for George Floyd, but all those affected by systemic racism and oppression in our community and beyond. You inspire us as leaders to continue reflecting and changing not only as a company, but as individuals.
In light of the recent events, as of the opening of business on 6/2/20 we have suspended police discounts. In the coming weeks, we will take the time to further reevaluate our relationship with the police. We will be looking at existing contracts, regulations, and security stipulations in our operating agreements as well as discussing what our options are.
Note, we are not refusing service to the police; however, if an officer asks for the discount, we will let them know the discount has been suspended. The discount was a privilege we extended to them, it is not a right.We believe during this time it is important to give back to our community. We are starting with donating a portion of our Tuesday – Thursday sales this week to the George Floyd Memorial Fund. We want you to know that we are taking this seriously and continue to offer safety and support to our staff and community, all while we are exhausted and scared.
We want swift Justice for George and we want sweeping and permanent change on these critical social issues. #Justice4George #BlackLivesMatter”
That post has more than 2,800 comments as of Wednesday evening, many in favor of the decision, and many against it.
We reached out to the Pizza Luce corporate office for comment. They responded saying they are not doing interviews at this time.
Meanwhile, Duluth’s Positively 3rd Street Bakery is collecting donations for people and neighborhoods impacted by the Twin Cities protests.
“If we did nothing, it wouldn’t have felt right,” said bread baker Kirsten Wiseniewski.
The worker-owned collective tells us they have always been committed to social justice issues across the community and region.
“We support the protesters and we want them to be able to keep doing what they’re doing, but we also want to make sure that the people living in those neighborhoods have access to what they need,” explained Wiseniewski.
Since the bakery started accepting donations Tuesday, it has already sent a van-load of non-perishable food items, medical supplies, and hygiene products to the Twin Cities.
“They can even choose to throw that onto whatever order they have with us,” said Wiseniewski. “If they come in and buy a six-pack of cookies, they can also throw five dollars at one of those organizations.”
In Superior, Ink Tattoo is taking donations at a stand on Tower Avenue.
“All of the grocery stores in the immediate area are unable to be open and a lot of the buses aren’t working right now, so people that don’t have their own transportation are having a hard time getting any household goods,” explained Ink Tattoo co-owner Abby Goodell.
The Ink owners will be back out taking household item donations Friday.
“If you’re uncomfortable right now, take that uncomfortableness [sic] to learn about the world around you and to be open to listening to people,” said Goodell.
Right across the street, the Main Club, a bar serving the LGBTQ+ community, is another local business showing support for the protests.
“We may be different on the outside, but we’re very closely linked when it comes to social injustice and inequality,” said head bartender Steven Morales.
Morales reminds us the Stonewall riots happened 51 years ago in New York. In those riots, protesters demonstrated for much the same cause as the protests in cities across the U.S.
“The riots of Stonewall, New York started with a riot and they were actually led by transgender people of color,” explained Morales.
He says it’s important for marginalized groups like the LGBTQ+ community to stand with Black Lives Matter and other groups in demanding change and holding police accountable for use-of-force incidents.
“It’s not just a race issue, it is a humanity issue, and everybody deserves to be treated with dignity and justice and equality,” said Morales.
