DERRY, N.H. (WHDH) - Have an old iPhone that needs to be fixed? If you’re a Republican, The Used Apple Store in Derry, New Hampshire, says look elsewhere.
“We feel that they’re the greatest threat currently in the world,” said Billy Williams, the store owner.
The store detailed the Republican ban in a Facebook post, which read in part:
“We say no thank you to any Republican. If you affiliate with the Republican Party you are not welcome into our store.”
The store went as far as to call Republicans “evil.”
“You have an uptight, closed energy, negative aura to you… almost evil, and to be honest, usually evil,” the post said.
7’s Kim Lucey asked Williams to explain himself.
“I think if they’re not evil there’s a reason they’re siding with that, so I think they’re non-discretionary, that’s what I would call it,” Williams said when asked if he thought all of the nearly 300,000 Republicans in New Hampshire were evil.
Some Granite Staters think the store’s way of doing business is crazy.
“I think it’s absolutely crazy. Businesses anywhere should be open to anyone regardless of what their political views are. I think that’s kind of ridiculous,” said Ryan Donelan, a Derry native.
“I’m sure Republicans have Apple phones too, you know? He’ll be losing business that way. I don’t think that’s very smart,” Andy Cistaldi added.
Williams says the store is not affiliated with the Apple company, and usually services older products that Apple will no longer fix. He says despite the backlash, he stands by the original post.
“It isn’t money that matters so much with these things, if you really believe that something should happen, you should stand up for that and make it happen,” Williams said.
The store is currently closed for renovations. Williams doesn’t have a date for when it will reopen, but says when it does, that’s when the new policy will take place.
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