This Has Gone TOO Far!

By
Real Estate Broker/Owner with Beam & Branch Realty TREC #547752

My husband and I recently completed the renovation of our 100+-year-old, historic building on our town Square. We lovingly restored this beauty over the past year and it was truly an adventure. Today, we are the proud owners of a boutique 7-room suite hotel upstairs along with three retail spaces downstairs.

Today, we received an "anonymous" email that was sent also to our City Council Members, the Mayor, our local newspaper, and several others in our town. This email tries to imply that the name of our Hotel is racist. 

We creatively named the hotel The "N" on the Square. If you look at the logo, you see the letter N on top of a square - thus creating the N on the Square. Since we are on our historic Square, we thought this was a great and simple marketing idea.

To have someone believe that our intent of the letter "N" is something derogatory is taking this way too far! Really? Now, letters of the alphabet are being implied to mean something terrible?

It's time for those who want to twist everything into something negative needs to assess their own hearts. We have NEVER, ever thought this letter implied anything than the play on words for "Inn" that we intended. Anyone suggesting something else needs to explore their own heart.

Let's stop trying to turn everything into racism and hatred. We have a beautifully restored building that is bringing revenue and value to our town. We are proud of what we have built and we will firmly stand by our good name as well as the good name of our business.

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Comments (36)

Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400
HomeRome Realty 410-530-2400 - Pikesville, MD
Sell Your Home With Margaret Rome

Dr. Paula McDonald 

I love what you did with this historic building, keeping the name and doing a play on the Inn On The Square. Wishing you both much success with the retail stores and your lovely boutique Inn. 

Apr 20, 2022 11:04 PM
Bob McCranie
Broker Associate / Team Lead - Texas Pride Realty Group - Carrollton, TX
Your best advocate when buying or selling your hom

Everyone has their cultural and personal way of reading things.  Not that no person of color has commented?  We can not understand others without dialog and understanding. I'm sure you had nothing but the best intensions with the name.  Yet I can understand that others seeing this as culturally insensitive.  This might be a good opportunity for Diversity & Inclusion training, and dialoging with people in the local African-American community.  It will only make you and your businesses stronger.  Best of luck!

Apr 21, 2022 12:19 AM
Chad Felter
Virginia Beach, VA
Providing service through out Virginia.

If that was the first thing to pop in your mind then your racist beliefs show though. It is easy to do since, if you are "white" aka a person of non-colour, popular opinion has you pegged as a slave owning insensitive perpetrator of minority culture.

Perhaps reworking the graphics of the "N" in the logo is in order to provide some context to the proper intended usage for your business. A good graphic artist would help achieve that for you. 

Apr 21, 2022 04:17 AM
Bob McCranie

First off, "You're".  Conversely, you could think this because you've been exposed to and victimized by racism your whole life.  

Apr 21, 2022 12:54 PM
Margaret Goss

Bob McCranie - no, "your" is correct in both instances. 


 

Apr 21, 2022 03:34 PM
Buzz Mackintosh
Mackintosh REALTORS - Frederick, MD
“Experience, reliable, leadership”

What a wonderful renovation job and creative name! So over everyone ruining sports teams and being offended by anything and everything !!

Apr 21, 2022 05:54 AM
Beth Atalay
Cam Realty and Property Management - Clermont, FL
Cam Realty of Clermont FL

Good morning Paula, I am not shocked, our world has gone crazy. This shows you where one's mind is. You've done a great job with the building, wishing you both much success.

Apr 21, 2022 06:22 AM
Dorte Engel
RE/MAX Leading Edge - Bowie, MD
ABC - Annapolis, Bowie, Crofton & rest of Maryland

Dear Paula,

My first thought was "nice old building." Since you are a Realtor, I am sure you have clients of every color, so if you do the same with the hotel, I would consider it a non-issue. If you stare long enough at anything, you can make it into an issue somehow. 

Apr 21, 2022 07:21 AM
Carol Williams
Although I'm retired, I love sharing my knowledge and learning from other real estate industry professionals. - Wenatchee, WA
Retired Agent / Broker / Prop. Mgr, Wenatchee, WA

"Gone too far" is an understatement!  What the H has happened to people? They need to get a life!

Apr 21, 2022 08:05 AM
Sam Shueh
(408) 425-1601 - San Jose, CA
mba, cdpe, reopro, pe

If you feel you are intimidated you can add "ñ" to show its Latina history.

Apr 21, 2022 09:49 AM
Kathleen Daniels, Probate & Trust Specialist

What makes you think someone would not find that Racist as well, Sam? 

Apr 23, 2022 09:09 AM
Sam Shueh
(408) 425-1601 - San Jose, CA
mba, cdpe, reopro, pe

On a similar topic I used to go to Peoria, Illinois once a week.  There used to be a sleeping tiny town named Peikin. These towns named Canton, Peikin were proud to name towns after famous cities from the Orient.  Now and then a group of Asians would come from Chicago visit the school and city council suggesting a more mascot name. I personally did not mind the old sports team and was delighted to see innovative dress code. Pulling eyes sideways gesture does not bother me. 

 

Apr 21, 2022 10:02 AM
Sam Shueh
(408) 425-1601 - San Jose, CA
mba, cdpe, reopro, pe

The former Pho Keene Great, a Vietnamese noodle restaurant that opened in downtown Keene, NH almost three years ago, recently changed its name to The Phonky Noodle.

The only thing went wrong in that US NE town is the restaurant was leasing from City Hall sharing the town hall.  City demand removing a coming soon sign -Pho Keene Great

coming soon

Apr 21, 2022 10:08 AM
Wanda Kubat-Nerdin - Wanda Can!

LOL Sam Shueh!

Apr 23, 2022 09:12 AM
Wayne L. Brown
Franklin Advantage Inc. - Alpine, CA

Absolutely Nothing surprises me anymore.

Sorry for what you are going through.

Beyond ridiculous!

Apr 21, 2022 12:37 PM
Wendy Rich-Soto, Realtor/Broker Associate
Keller Williams Realty, LA Harbor - San Pedro, CA
Getting you to your next with a zero failure rate!

Why does everyone have to make things so hard for people! Ugh!

Apr 21, 2022 02:31 PM
Margaret Goss
@Properties - Winnetka, IL
Chicago's North Shore & Winnetka Real Estate

You're right - any letter of the alphabet could set someone off if they're looking for it. 

Beautiful hotel - if I ever pass that way I'll definitely stay there!

Apr 21, 2022 03:37 PM
Wanda Kubat-Nerdin - Wanda Can!
Red Rock Real Estate (435) 632-9374 - St. George, UT
St. George Utah Area Residential Sales Agent

People will look for anything to bring adversity to something benign. Just because they are (supposedly) offended, doesn't mean they're right, Paula!

Apr 22, 2022 06:14 AM
Jeffrey DiMuria 321.223.6253 Waves Realty
Waves Realty - Melbourne, FL
Florida Space Coast Homes

The racism and hatred was most obviously in the heart of the person who sent the letters.

Apr 22, 2022 06:52 AM
Kathleen Daniels, Probate & Trust Specialist

Boom!!!!! Jeffrey DiMuria 321.223.6253 Waves Realty 

Apr 23, 2022 09:09 AM
Dorie Dillard Austin TX
Coldwell Banker Realty ~ 512.750.6899 - Austin, TX
NW Austin ~ Canyon Creek and Spicewood/Balcones

Dr. Paula McDonald ,

I love your building and what you have added to your charming town. Someone has way too much time on their hands if they find the name offensive. I'm SOOOOO over all this nonsense!

Apr 22, 2022 10:32 AM
Mark Don McInnes, Sandpoint-Idaho
Sandpoint Realty LLC - Sandpoint, ID
North Idaho Real Estate - 208-255.6227

Congratulations on completing what looks like, and no doubt is, a beautiful building.  People will see what they want to see no matter how ridiculous.  Hopefully no more time spent than the time to trash the letter.  Anonymous gives the false feeling of power.  Congrats again on a wonderful addition to your town.  Mark 

Apr 22, 2022 02:59 PM
John Meussner
Mortgages in AZ, CA, CO, DE, FL, GA, IN, MD, MN, MT, NC, NJ, NV, OK, OR, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, WI - Fair Oaks, CA
#MortgageMadeEasy Fair Oaks, CA 484-680-4852

You know we have things good when people have the time and mindspace to be offended by such trivial things.  It's really a sign of our sad times.

Apr 22, 2022 05:14 PM
Ed (Edward) Silva, 203-206-0754
Mapleridge Realty, CT 203-206-0754 - Waterbury, CT
Central CT Real Estate Broker Serving all equally

I can see it now, a letter to the manufacturers of the candy, Good 'n Plenty for the use of the letter and the colors of the product

Apr 23, 2022 02:03 PM
Stella Barbour
NoVa Brokers LLC - Vienna, VA
Principal Broker, Serving Virginia and Maryland

Congratulations on your new venture.  Building looks beautiful. I wish great success.  I hope people will see that the N could mean "New" and appreciate the hard work that went into renewing the building to create something new to the square. 

Apr 26, 2022 05:40 AM