05/09/2026
For the protection of our patrons, staff, and community, we will be closed tonight.
I do not know every detail surrounding last night’s events, and I will not pretend that I do. What I do know is that reports are saying a white town police officer shot a Black male on Main Street.
We have seen this pattern before.
This same town once stood behind Oakley while Black people in this community were being tazed, humiliated, and treated like criminals first and citizens second. Now it has escalated from tazing us to shooting us? That is the reality many Black residents are feeling today whether people want to acknowledge it or not.
I cannot confidently say that if this man had been a different color, the situation would have ended the same way.
The sad part is that the assumption is that we fear our own community folks while in reality the real fear comes from the people sworn to “protect” us. Over and over again we have watched Oakley and Lane with the support of Robert Davie lash out, stereotype, intimidate, and target Black spaces, Black businesses and black people.
As a Black business owner, I have personally dealt with it for years. Even today I deal with weekly calls from Chief Elliott making comments about my “unruly patrons.” Questions about why I would hire a DJ because “he’s a felon.” Constant assumptions that my customers are a problem before they even walk through the door. Requirements placed on my business that others do not seem to face including expecting my private security to detain people in front of his officers as well as having to monitor 150 feet each direction from my business door.
Let’s call it what it is: fear of Black people. Fear of Black gathering spaces. Fear of Black businesses succeeding and existing unapologetically in Warrenton.
The whole time we were supposedly the threat, people in authority have continued showing this community exactly who really has the power to harm people.
Because emotions are high and because safety comes first, we will also be closed next week to allow time for things to calm down and for hopefully more truth to come out.
We plan to reopen May 19th for lunch.
Until then, stay safe, protect each other, and please be careful out here especially in Warrenton.
