Cafe owner takes some heat for ‘Black Lives Matter’ - Vallejo Times-Herald

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The coronavirus cost Nicole Hodge income. Her support of Black Lives Matters is costing her patience.

The owner of Provisions in downtown Vallejo reluctantly boarded her cafe’s windows Tuesday and painted “BLM” over two of the plywood sheets and “Black Lives Matters” on another.

Then she got an earful — actually, an eye-full — on her Facebook page.

Some slammed Hodge’s patriotism — one called her a “commie ass”  — and many responded with “All Lives Matter.”

“Delete,” said Hodge, adding that she’s lost patience in trying to explain why “All Lives Matter” is not a suitable response to “Black Lives Matter.”

Lecturer and writer Rachel Elizabeth Cargle explained in Bazaar magazine:

“Our stating that ‘black lives matter’ doesn’t insinuate that other lives don’t. Of course all lives matter. That doesn’t even need to be said. But the fact that white people get so upset about the term ‘black lives matter’ is proof that nothing can center the well-being and livelihoods of black bodies without white people assuming it is to their demise.”

Workers board up Napoli’s Pizza on Tennessee Street in preparation of rioting and looting. (Chris Riley—Times-Herald)

“Those committed to saying ‘all lives matter’ in the midst of the justice-driven work of the Black Lives Matter movement: Prove it,” Cargle added. “Point out the ways our society — particularly the systems set in place to protect citizens like police officers and doctors and elected officials — are showing up to serve and protect black lives.”

Hodge, who is white, said earlier this week she decided to paint “Black Lives Matter” on the boards “because we’re in the middle of race riots and it’s important.”

Because of her business, Hodge said she uses Facebook as a marketing tool — which is why she has roughly 3,400 “friends,” though she “unfriended” 26 on Wednesday.

Sure, she acknowledged, some may immediately post “All Lives Matter” out of ignorance of the “Black Lives Matter” message.

“Maybe it is … but I don’t have time for it anymore,” Hodge said. “We  know your life matters.”

Hodge said the negative response is in the minority with phone calls, emails, overall social media response and people coming by the cafe “95 percent positive.”

Hodge said the boards wouldn’t be up in the first place if she owned the building.

“I was asked to do it by several people … my landlord, the property manager .. and the Chamber of Commerce recommended it,” said Hodge.

So she did, paying $100 out of pocket for the five boards plus hiring a contractor.

“I would love to take them down. I don’t like having my windows boarded up,” she said, hopeful she could remove the barricade to vandalism in a few days “or when the National Guard leaves town.”

Hodge wasn’t the only business to respond to looters and vandals that hit Vallejo this week. The Empress Theatre boarded up its front glass and the vintage box office. Grocery Outlet downtown boarded its front windows. Same for Hot Ink Tattoos  and the former Federal Building on Marin Street. Downtown on Tennessee Street, Vallejo Coin Exchange and Napoli’s Pizza are boarded up and business has temporarily closed.

Hot Ink tattoos on Marin Street, closed because of COVID-19 since March, is boarded up to protect 11 windows. (Richard Freedman–Times-Herald)

On Georgia Street, Yesteryears and Indian Alley antique stores are both boarded, along with the Cal-Maritime Academy’s Anchor Center and La Clinica. Capital City Pharmacy on 339 Georgia St. was vandalized this week and is now boarded up, though it remains open.

The Empress would not be boarded “if we were open for business,” said Susan MacDonald, board member of the Vallejo Community Arts Foundation. “The emptiness of the streets due to COVID-19 has contributed to an increase in criminal activity. As we learned from Vallejo’s economic recovery, more people in the streets attending events, the art walk, restaurants and local businesses assist in make the community safer.”

MacDonald expects the 108-year-old venue to be boarded “just a few days until the situations are calmer.”

Hot Ink at 818 Marin St. has been shut down by state order since March 13 and owner Mario Cruz decided this past Monday to board up the front windows, acknowledging that eight sheets of plywood cost less than having any of his 11 windows busted at $350 apiece.

With the date to re-open his shop unknown, Cruz said he’ll keep it boarded “probably a couple of weeks.”

Napoli’s is temporarily shut down, with the outgoing phone message merely stating, “we are closed all day due to social unrest.”

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Cafe owner takes some heat for ‘Black Lives Matter’ - Vallejo Times-Herald
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