The Hug Heard Round the World! (a message from Bill Penzey of Penzeys Spices) [View all]

[Mousetoescamper]

I'm a longtime Penzeys Spices online customer. The company's been attacked by Trump and right wing media following Kamala's visit to Penzeys' Pittsburgh store last week. Here's an excerpt from the email I received from the company this morning.

The Hug Heard Round the World!

One week ago today Vice President Kamala Harris visited our Pittsburgh store. There’s a good chance you’ve seen a video of her visit, if not you can watch it here. Her and her interaction with our customers really was nothing short of awesome.

At first there was the coverage of her visit. Then the right wing backlash. Then the coverage of the backlash. But then came Penzeys popping up on international news sites and people emailing appreciation from around the world.

Clearly the humanity of the vice president’s visit struck a chord everywhere. I've been around the world a bunch and understand news isn’t stopped by borders, but this was something different. People everywhere were moved by her visit to our Pittsburgh store last Saturday. That’s no small thing.

And we can all imagine a group of people in a different country all watching the coverage on their own media. But I really liked how this email from Thursday made it all so personal even if it did make me blush.

Hey Bill,

I’m on a short vacation in Helsinki and the video of Kamala shopping is everywhere here. One of my Uber drivers asked if it was a set up. I told him that the Secret Service probably gave prior notice she wanted to come, to set up security for the event, but the customers, I don’t know.

Ms Harris is a cook and she enjoys it. Penzey’s has fabulous spices, and that I was a customer myself. One reason I was one was not only the quality but because of your philosophy and that you put it out there for all to know. I don’t go anywhere else for spices and who could argue with a man that reminds us in every purchase to ‘Be Kind’ and to not forget to vote.

‘I like this man’ my driver said.

So do I.

Kiitos!

A Customer

Thanks for the kindness. That this came just as the right wing world was at the peak of sending me all their anger made it all the better. All I would add is that they didn’t call to say she was coming. They called to ask if it was all right with us if she did. And those sure looked like our customers to me. That it all ended up with people around the world liking America a chunk more really is something. Life is good.

But nonetheless Trump, Fox, and the right wing world are trying to drive us out of business. They want to make an example out of us. This really could cost us ten-twenty-thirty percent of our sales and muffle us at the very time I believe our voice to be most valuable.

Or all of you could open up your wallets to buy a bunch of $50 Gift Cards for $35 and share them with friends. If your wallet isn’t that deep, sharing even a couple half-priced Orange Spices helps. I picked the Seasoned Salt, Bold Taco, and Revolution for the ad because each is universally loved and makes a great gift.

Donald Trump has lied about the quality of the spices we sell. Think of all the times he lied and you couldn’t do anything about it. This time you can.

TLDR: Donald Trump is trying to drive us out of business because we welcomed Kamala Harris into our Pittsburgh store where she hugged one of our customers. Please send us your money

I hate to have to ask, but if we are not to be hobbled by this I kind of need to.

Thanks for saving us.
And don’t forget to vote!

Bill
[e-mail]