Richard Spencer, president of white nationalist think tank the National Policy Institute, has rented a “hub” for his cause in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia. Readers may recall that Spencer was the individual punched in the face by a masked man at Donald Trump’s inauguration.
Alexandria residents are not happy with their new neighbor, especially given that Spencer has rented space above a popular King Street chocolate shop. Owner Kim Gustafson of Blüprint Chocolatiers has been doing all she can to make sure everyone knows her shop doesn’t support Spencer’s views, according to the Washington Post.
The railing in front of Gustafson’s store was braided with red and white ribbons and protesters have been proclaiming their dislike for the upstairs tenant. Gustafson was worried that the combination of Spencer and protesters would disincline potential customers to stop in.
“You can plan for electrical problems. You can plan for not growing as fast as you’d like. You can’t plan for this,” Gustafson told the Washington Post.
It turns out that — in spite and because of the protests — Blüprint is thriving. Gustafson’s clientele includes not only Alexandria residents and visitors but opponents of Spencer and his organization, even a few from Whitefish, Montana. Later this year, customers will be able to order chocolates online.
