Tanner's Owner Apologizes

John Zeller, owner of Tanner's Big Orange, has formally renounced his statements, which were deemed racist, that he posted on Facebook on June 7th.

Zeller said he has learned a lot in the last weeks.​

"My life will never be the same.  It has changed me in many ways.  It has made me sensitive to people," Zeller said.

Zeller said it grieves him that some people now support his restaurant because they support his original statements on Facebook, which Zeller has now renounced.

He said he intends to put actions behind his words of repentance and give back to the community.

However, he also stated those actions "remain to be seen."

There have been discussions with combining the celebration he was planning for Tanner's 77th anniversary with a back-to-school bash for the neighborhood.

Other activists, such as Bruce Wilson, say that conversation is not always helpful or appropriate.

"Some people you cannot educated beyond their racist heart," Wilson said. "Sometimes it's ok to let people keep that type of silliness in their heart and don't deal with them."