Camping World Is Closing One Of Their Locations Following Its American Flag Controversy
The saga involving Camping World and its larger-than-life American flags has a new update. Camping World CEO Marcus Lemonis has announced the closure of a Greenville, North Carolina location.
In an interview with radio station WTIB on Tuesday morning (April 21), Lemonis said he would be closing the Forest River RV location in Greenville on Friday (April 25). Employees were told it was due to the ongoing controversy over the large American flag flying on the property.
At the beginning of the month, the Greenville City Council voted 4-2 to take legal action against Camping World for flying a 3,200 square-foot flag on a 130-foot flagpole, according to Fox Business.
The flag is over 15 times larger than what is allowed and the pole is nearly double regulation, but Lemonis has always maintained that he will never take down his larger American flags.
“Not when they sue, not when I lose, not if they take me to jail, the flag is not coming down,” he has said.
So, instead of taking down the flag, he has decided to close the location because of the effects of the controversy.
“We think the ordinance is wrong,” Lemonis said. “I think it’s also wrong council members have been working very actively to disparage my business and on Friday I had to consolidate modification of 2 dealerships in town. The main one that you’re referring to and another one of Greenville-and we had to close that – our business which has been unfortunately impacted uniquely in Greenville NC.”
His other location in Greenville is also facing controversy. They have been issued 65 citations by the city, with fines totaling over $15,000.
Why Is Marcus So Passionate About His Large American Flags?
Marcus was born in Lebanon and left at an orphanage when he was just a baby. He was adopted at nine years old and the impact his adoptive parents have on him inspire him every day.
“These flags represent something personal to me,” Lemonis said. “I came to this country from an orphanage in Beirut, Lebanon at 9 months old. I grew up in a middle class home where work ethic was everything, maybe the only thing. Our family was in the Chevrolet Business and had the largest flag in Miami. As a child I used to tell everyone that one day I would have a business of my own and that I my flag would be bigger, like any child would.”
He has 220 flags up at locations all across the country, adding up to 704,000 square feet. His goal is to get to one million square feet in total.
