WALNUT CREEK, Calif. (KCBS RADIO) – An East Bay shoe store that just opened its doors this month is the latest business to ban Kanye West's branded sneakers.
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Bottom Bunk Sneaker House – a high end sneaker retailer in downtown Walnut Creek which just had its grand opening two weeks ago – announced it has pulled all of West's mega-popular and lucrative "Yeezy" branded shoes from its shelves due to the the rapper's repeated anti-Semitic comments.
The store told KRON in a statement, "as a Jewish and Black owned brand whose mission is to build up our community, we can not in any way be associated with something that tears it down."
"We condemn hateful words and antisemitism and know its consequences all too well," the statement continued. "We felt a responsibility to lead by example and encourage others to follow suit, even if it will challenge the profitability of their business."
Bottom Bunk’s original store is located in Los Angeles and expanded to the Bay Area for the first time with the Walnut Creek location. The founder, Cole Richman, was previously involved in the justice system and donates a portion of the company's profits to the formerly incarcerated.
Jamaria Washington, a customer at the store, told KCBS Radio she understands the backlash against Ye, though maintained that she plans to continue to wear the shoes because of how expensive they are.
Oren Segal, an executive in the Anti-Defamation League, told CBS News West's comments threatening to kill Jews have disproportionately animated extremists.
“We know that his comments animated the extremists,” he said. "So when somebody of that position normalizes anti-semitic messages, it’s a huge concern."
Twitter and Instagram have both suspended Ye's accounts. Bottom Bunk joins a growing list of retailers including Adidas, Gap and Foot Locker to cut ties with the rapper.
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