(WHDH) — Christmas Tree Shops has pulled “offensive” shark-related items from all of its stores on Cape Cod following a number of complaints.
In recent days, some residents have expressed outrage over items mocking shark attacks on beachgoers, CapeCod.com first reported.
One item that sparked dissatisfaction among shoppers was a “Shark Week” kitchen towel that said, “Nice to Eat You” on the bottom. There was another item that reportedly said, “Send More Tourists, The Last Ones Were Delicious!” A red T-shirt also had a message scrawled across the front that read, “Come to the Shark Side.”
“It’s a pretty touchy subject around here,” one resident told the news outlet. “I think if one more person gets killed I think this place [Cape Cod] is done.”
There were two shark attacks on the Cape last summer. In August, a New York man was seriously injured off Long Nook Beach in Truro. A Revere man was killed in September off Newcomb Hollow Beach in Wellfleet.
Some lifelong Cape residents say they have no issue with the items.
“I grew up on the Cape. There have always been sharks,” Katie Cerulli told 7News. “So, if somebody makes a joke about it, it’s alright.”
Jessica Joyce, Senior Manager of Public Relations for Christmas Tree Shops, said in a statement that the store understands the sensitive issue.
“At Christmas Tree Shops, our goal has always been to provide a wide assortment of products that our customers are looking for in an exciting and friendly environment. We understand our vast and diverse customer base consists of people with many different views and sensibilities which sometimes get reflected in their shopping preferences,” Joyce said. “We appreciate all customer feedback and understand this is a sensitive issue toward which many people have different feelings. We have removed these items from the Cape locations. It is never our intention to offend customers by our merchandise assortment.”
Christmas Tree Shops has five locations on the Cape. The items were sold at three of them.
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