In the wake of controversy, a California coffee shop owner has found her business unexpectedly thriving after expressing support for Charlie Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA.
Sara De Luca, the proprietor of Invita Caf in Rancho Santa Fe, faced backlash after she decided to honor Kirk by placing commemorative stickers on her coffee cups. Despite the uproar, De Luca's establishment has seen an influx of support from the community and beyond.
As reported by Fox News, De Luca did not hesitate to display the stickers, which bore the messages "Thank you, Charlie Kirk" and "We Love You," following Kirk's assassination. She explained her decision, saying, "When Israel went to war, we put on Israel stickers and started to support some of the IDF [Israel Defense Forces]. I would say that was when I was like, 'Let's be courageous.'"
De Luca, who had previously hosted Kirk and his wife Erika, expressed surprise at the controversy, admitting, "Maybe it's my ignorance. It didn't even cross my mind that somebody could have some sort of issue with somebody being murdered."
The caf's phones were inundated with calls, and the business faced a barrage of negative online reviews, prompting De Luca to shut down their Google and Yelp pages. However, the adversity was met with overwhelming support from the local community and De Luca's church, Awaken.
"I was actually tearing [up] because I was like, 'Where did these people come from?' We went 312% up in sales," she recounted. The caf was soon bustling with patrons willing to wait up to 45 minutes for their orders, all in a show of solidarity.
De Luca noted the absence of detractors at her caf, stating, "We didn't have any haters show up. It was only the righteous showing up just God-fearing people who are like, 'Thank you for what you're doing. Charlie would be proud.'"
The support extended beyond local borders, with individuals from across the nation reaching out to contribute financially. One person from Georgia offered to cover the cost of 100 drinks, while another customer left $300 before quietly departing.
Invita Caf, which opened nine years ago, was inspired by De Luca's Italian heritage, aiming to create a communal space centered around espresso. "The idea was to kind of create a space where the espresso is the magnet that unites people, and it brings the community together and brings the traditions that I grew up with here to California," she explained.
De Luca attributes the unexpected turn of events to divine intervention, stating, "God is so behind all of this." The caf continues to offer the commemorative stickers and has even hosted a pop-up event for Turning Point USA.
In the face of adversity, De Luca's resolve and the support of her community have transformed a potential crisis into a testament to the power of shared values and collective action.
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