Georgia councilor resigns after controversial Confederate store reopening

A business owner is relocating near the store after a neighboring troubled city was allowed to re-open the Confederate store’s reopening in Kennesaw.

COBB COUNTY, Ga. — A controversial Civil War and Union shop that remained closed for months after the owner’s death reopened in Kennesaw on Tuesday.

A councilor has resigned and a business owner is choosing to move after the business reopens.

Wildmans Civil War Surplus has been doing business in Kennesaw since 1971. Marjorie Lyons began managing the store when it reopened.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

“We have an array of relics, artifacts, reference material. It’s not just on the Klan, it’s not just on the Union,” Lyon said.

Ku Klux Klan merchandise is sold in stores and behind the business is a museum full of Confederate flags and soldiers.

A picture of a Klansman and an effigy dressed as one is also in the museum. Several items depict black people in a derogatory manner, including balls of African American hair, placed next to a box of cotton.

Lyon says the two items are just a joke.

“It was brought up as a joke years and years ago,” Lyon said.

Trending stories:

Despite the items kept inside the business, Lyon believes there’s nothing wrong with showing what she says is part of history.

“It’s part of history,” Lyon said.

But some residents in Kennesaw, including a longtime business owner whose business is located nearby, disagree.

“My husband always used to say that if it was a strip club he would handle it. What is in that building is more disgusting than what would happen in a strip club. It is disgusting,” said Chris Welsh, who lives at Eaton in Kennesaw Owns Chiropractic.

Welsh is upset that city officials signed off on reopening businesses.

“If that business is going to stay… in my heart I can’t stay and I’ve spent 20 years on that corner,” Welsh said.

Welsh said she expressed her concerns about the business when she was a member of the council, but always hit a dead end.

[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]

“There is nothing they can do, this is the First Amendment,” Welsh said, adding that he was always told by city officials.

On Wednesday afternoon, Kennesaw’s city manager, Dr. Jeff Drobney, addressed concerns about reopening Wildman’s Civil War surplus during a press conference.

“We have taken precise steps to ensure that this business complies with all city codes and ordinances every step of the way,” Drobny said. “We treat all businesses equally, we do not advocate for any business, nor do we defame any business. They are legally entitled to hold a business license and be open and operating, we do it that way. Let’s see. We don’t take sides.”

Additionally, a representative for the City of Kennesaw issued a full statement on the matter via email:

“The City of Kennesaw has issued a business license to Dent Myers Enterprises Inc., conducting business as Wildman’s Civil War Surplus (hereinafter referred to as the “Business License Holder”). Kennesaw went through the procedural process required of all businesses within the city when applying for it. This process includes on-site inspections by the Office of the Cobb County Fire Marshal and the Kennesaw Building Official City. The business license holder produced a certificate of occupancy and eventually a Obtained a legal business license. Dent Myers Enterprises Inc., doing business as Wildmans Civil War Surplus, is legally permitted to operate within the city limits of the city of Kennesaw. WE Council Member James “Doc” Eaton Resigns We thank him for his many years of service in the city of Kennesaw and we wish him well in his future endeavors.

Residents protesting Wildman’s Civil War surplus plan to speak out against it during a June 20 city council meeting.

In other news:

It has been said in the report that the headmaster should be sacked if there is a discrepancy in academic, attendance in the investigation.

©2022 Cox Media Group

Source