The owner of a knitting shop in Loudoun County, Virginia, is pushing back against the threat of a boycott of her store related to President Donald Trump.
Finch Knitting + Sewing Studio in Leesburg received an email this week saying the business may be added to a "guide" on local businesses believed to be hostile to Trump supporters.
Finch owner Nicole Morganthau said the store is open to anyone, regardless of their politics or background. "You belong here!" a sign outside the shop says.
The trouble began Thursday, when Morganthau received an email with the subject line "Are you an anti-election establishment?"
"We are compiling a list of local Leesburg businesses that are openly hostile to customers who voted for Donald Trump," the email said. "Before we publish, we'd like to give the opportunity to refute tips we've received."
The email then cited the apparent tip: "The owner of Finch has posted several very hostile Facebook posts related to the election of Trump."
Morganthau said she perceived the email as a threat.
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"They were accusing me of tirades against the president," she said.
She wrote back right away and asked on what the allegation was based.
The following day, she posted a response on Facebook.
"We are not and never have been hostile toward any human being who wishes to step foot in the front door of Finch. As a matter of fact, the very groundwork of Finch has always been to be a place of inclusiveness," the post said.
Morganthau's Facebook post was shared more than 300 times, and the local newspaper, The Loudoun Times-Mirror, covered the story. Then, customers began to stop by with cookies and flowers.
Morganthau said she thinks she knows what prompted the accusation. The day before Inauguration Day, she posted a message on Facebook inviting customers to stock up on pink yarn. Many people used pink yarn to knit "pussy hats" to wear at the Women's March on Washington in order to critique Trump's comments about women's bodies.
Morganthau also wrote on the store's Facebook page that she attended the march. The small businessowner said she hopes her quick response quieted the threat.
"We are a unified group of people, and we aren't going to stand for that kind of bullying," she said.
In Tennessee, a knitting shop sparked praise and criticism by asking people who want yarn for "any project for the women's movement" to shop elsewhere.
"The vulgarity, vile and evilness of this movement is absolutely despicable," The Joy of Knitting in Franklin, Tennessee, posted to their Facebook page after the Women's March, The Tennessean reported.
Run inside a historic building in downtown Leesburg, Finch sells "modern" sewing and knitting supplies and hosts classes.
Down the street from the knitting shop, the owner of an upscale pawn shop said she is an ardent Trump supporter but thought the email threat was wrong.
"I think somebody doing that and targeting somebody, I think that's a little bit over the edge," Lynn Lake said.
