A Fairlington-area bakery’s sign advertising a conservative political club has left a bad taste for some local residents.
The sign posted in the window of Great Harvest Bread Company at 1711 Centre Plaza has attracted hundreds of comments on the Reddit page for Northern Virginia and the private Fairlington Appreciation Society Facebook group this week.
Great Harvest Bread Company in Alexandria (Fairlington) Supports TPUSA
byu/NWWashingtonDC innova
A related post on X from a White House correspondent for The Daily Caller has also received over 16,000 views and earned comment from the Arlington GOP.
In extensive online conversations, some community members have threatened to boycott the Fairlington Centre business over the flier advertising the Arlington and Alexandria chapter of Club America, the high school chapter network of Turning Point USA, the young conservative organization founded by the late Charlie Kirk.
Others have defended this location of Great Harvest Bread Company, which has operated for more than three decades, and its right to free speech. Franchise owner Brad Hurst declined to comment to ARLnow on the sign and public reaction.
“That sign alone is going to hurt their business. This is one of those know your market situations,” one Reddit user shared.
“When a business supports that ideology, I just can’t bring myself to take my dollars and go back into that business,” wrote a member in the Fairlington Appreciation Society group.
“Free expression goes both ways. I won’t support companies or businesses that support hateful ideology,” another Facebook user added.
Others defended the business for its positive impacts in the community.
“Great Harvest Bread is a member of our community and financially supported the Fairlington Historical Society Home and Garden Tour,” a member shared in the Fairlington Appreciation Society group.
“I supported Great Harvest Bakery today and the charity that they support,” wrote another member. “If you believe in free expression and the exchange of ideas then you should too.”
“When [Charlie] Kirk was killed, his supporters went after anyone who they thought were not being reverent enough. People lost their jobs and had their lives ruined,” said another group member. “I thought that was wrong. I’m not going to do the same thing to the owners of Great Harvest.”
Other Great Harvest Bread Company franchisees in Northern Virginia, meanwhile, felt the need to weigh in among the online controversy, noting that the Fairlington location is separately run.
“Each bakery is independently run by its local owner, and views or signage at one location do not represent others,” the Great Harvest Bread Company franchisees in Fairfax County said in a statement. “The Great Harvest bakeries in Herndon, Vienna, Lorton, and Burke are not politically affiliated. Our focus has always been — and will remain — serving our community with care, kindness, and great bread.”
