Bar That Stood with Bud Light Pays a Big Price, Resorts to Begging for Help
An Indiana bar that said it would stand by Bud Light and castigated customers who disapproved of the beer’s embrace of transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney is now hunting for customers.
The Fairfax Bar and Grill in Bloomington noted in a Facebook post on Wednesday that since it told longtime patrons to leave if they wanted to debate issues related to the Anheuser-Busch light beer brand and transgender politics, it has lost some customers.
“Thank you to all of you for supporting our establishment. With the departure of some of our regulars, we have needed new clientele, and you have answered. I’m not gonna lie, we still need more of you right now,” the bar said.
“Please continue to consider supporting us. It’s gonna be a great year of friendship, food, drinks and live music!” the bar posted.
Many customers have boycotted Bud Light and other Anheuser-Busch InBev brands following the company’s decision to enlist Mulvaney for a promo last month in which the TikTok star’s face was put on a can of the beer to celebrate his “365 days of womanhood.”
The Bloomington bar jumped into the fray April 11 when it issued a Facebook post telling customers there were limits on what would be allowed in the bar.
“We are all well aware of the controversy surrounding Bud Light,” the post said. “We support ALL people in this establishment no matter who you are or how you identify.
“We will continue to sell [Anheuser] Busch products because we don’t care who they make special cans for.
“If you are intolerant of other humans of any kind, we ask that you keep your opinions to yourself. Should you feel the need to discuss this matter in public you will be asked to leave. We will not tolerate intolerance here.”
After proclaiming that inclusivity meant no criticism of transgender policies, the bar drew national attention.
Media outlets including The Washington Post and Newsweek wrote sympathetic articles about the Indiana establishment’s stance.
Model of tolerance Fairfax Bar & Grill says “any patron wanting to voice their concerns about the [Bud Light] issue will be immediately asked to pay their bill and leave our establishment.”https://t.co/4gRBm0uwAI
— Joseph Toomey (@JosephEToomey) April 26, 2023
Owner McKinley Minniefield responded to the mainstream media by claiming his decision had been good for his business.
“As much as I hate to say it, I’m so glad these people are standing up and making fools of themselves so I have a reason to tell them to leave,” Minniefield told the Post for an article last week. “It gives me the ability to create the kind of space of inclusivity that I want.”
When Newsweek got in touch, Minniefield remained upbeat.
“But I feel like every person we lost, we’ve so far gained a couple new people filling those seats every day,” he said.
“Time will tell whether or not they’ll stick around and become regulars, too. We’ve seen an increase of people who are open-minded and show support because we took a stand,” the bar owner said.
Minniefield also told WISH-TV in Indianapolis he has not lost business.
A Bloomington bar owner is cracking down on hate speech. Reported by @AdamPinsker. https://t.co/isGqkECHVk
— WISH-TV (@WISH_TV) April 20, 2023
But in a post on Facebook this week, the Fairfax Bar and Grill noted that “some regulars have decided to leave and not return.”
The post also said the bar was seeking “a new clientele, along with seeing our kind-hearted regulars.”
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