A Milwaukee coffee shop is facing a wave of online backlash after a photo surfaced of staff posing with Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz, prompting the owner to stress that the business welcome[s] every customer who walks through its doors.
According to Breitbart, the controversy erupted after WISN 12 News posted an image on Facebook showing Oz behind the counter at Hawthorne Coffee Roasters, a neighborhood shop in Wisconsins largest city. Owner Steve Hawthorne quickly issued a public statement on Facebook, emphasizing that Ozs appearance was not by invitation and that the shop was not notified in advance, underscoring that Hawthorne Coffee has always been about bringing people together over a simple cup of coffee rather than political theater.
Dr. Oz stopped into our shop, Hawthorne wrote, noting that he was not present when the visit occurred and that his employees treated Oz as they would any other patron. It was not by invitation and we were not notified in advance. I was not there at the time. Staffed snapped what they thought was a lighthearted photo behind the counter. The photo was never intended for public distribution.
Hawthorne further explained that the staff believed they were taking a lighthearted photo and that the image was later shared with a news outlet without his consent or prior knowledge. Seeking to distance his business from partisan outrage, he reiterated, We welcome every customer who walks through our doors, and cautioned that A photo with a visitor should not be interpreted as a political endorsement or statement. Hawthorne Coffee has always been about bringing people together over a great cup of coffee and serving our community.
Despite that clarification, social media critics quickly targeted the shop for serving a Trump administration official, with several commenters declaring they dont need to go to Hawthorne anymore. One sneered, Shouldve given him some raw milk for creamer, while another wrote, Well I dont need to go to Hawthorne anymore lol, and yet another added, I hope they dropped his cup afterwards, followed by, Thanks for letting me know, as thats a place Ill never step foot in!
Amid the pile-on, at least one person with hospitality experience injected a dose of reality, observing that you dont always get to choose who will come through the door, a reminder that basic service is not a political act. Hawthornes wife, Kendra Barron, reportedly stepped in to clarify details in the comment thread, acknowledging that she was among those pictured with Oz and, as the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported, that she shared the image with a staff member whose family member works for the news organization, adding that it was her fault.
The episode highlights a growing intolerance on the left for even incidental contact with figures tied to President Donald Trumps administration, turning routine customer service into grounds for boycott threats. For Hawthorne Coffee, the message remains simple and decidedly apolitical: serve everyone, treat customers with respect, and refuse to let partisan outrage dictate who is allowed to buy a cup of coffee.
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