Downtown Kelowna store takes down controversial display

this is juts discusting. wonder if he realizes this will be the end of his business. they should actualy charge this fool if there was a charge for supidity.


Photo Credit: CHBC News , Julia Wong
A downtown Kelowna store has taken down a controversial Christmas display that appears to be promoting drugs.

Steve Johns Shoes Limited on Bernard Avenue had a display with a reindeer appearing to sniff lines of white powder off a table.

There was also a razor blade and a rolled up dollar bill beside the white powder.

Posters on the storefront windows say “Ho, ho, ho, let it blow”.

The store also had a mini Christmas tree with small bags of white powder decorating its branches.

The display has infuriated many people, who say it is inappropriate.

Paul Barrett was walking down Bernard Avenue when he saw the storefront display and did a double take.

“It was kind of appalling,” Barrett said. “It was basically set up what looks like cocaine hanging from baggies in a Christmas tree.”

“Other than the Christmas tree, it has got nothing to do with Christmas. I looked for signs to see if maybe it had some kind of message against drugs and I did not see that. It was more for drugs and this is how you do these drugs and I was quite appalled,” Barrett said. “I do not know what it is advertising but it is certainly not advertising shoes.”

“There are kids that are walking by this. It is a very low window. It is saying basically, this is what you need to do cocaine,” he said.

Store owner Steve Johns was in Mexico when CHBC News went into the store to inquire about the display.

Employee Maryanne Litzenberger, who says she does not agree with the display, says the store’s owner was going for the shock factor.

“It is supposed to be a shock,” Litzenberger said. “I guess that is what he was after and that is what he got.”

The employee took the display down while CHBC News was in the store, though she would not answer when asked if it was meant to promote drug or cocaine use.

“It is shocking. It is awful,” she said.


© Shaw Media Inc., 2011. All rights reserved.

You have to be kidding me. How can common sense be soooo lacking these days. Joking around here is one thing, but this is... disturbing.

it sick..i just saw it on the news this morning sitting here so thought id pass on how sick this store owner is. on the tv the girl working in shop was interviewed and said the onwer had done it for chock value and left the country for a while to leave the poor cashier to deal with all the hate fall out
i realy hope this makes this looser loose everything. they should arrest him and hold till they do a test to see if the stuff is real..just to put him through the system and maybe,..just maybe teach him a lesson for a few days while hes locked up. let the others know he has cocaine on display for kids...see how the inmates take that. those may not be the nicest but they dont tollerate that stuff either, he wouldnt make it to dinner time

I think its funny
BUT there is a place and a time for that...
And that place is where little kids can't see

i dont see anything funny. its sick. cocaine is funny?. it offends more than kids...does to me anyways. im glad i dont live in kelowna or i would have taken it down myself. dont think thast guys going to be to poular in town..and a small town..news travels fast

Its called humor...and anybody,other than kids, should be able to see that...
Rudolph had a red nose and took charge...in the snow.

xmas and rudolph have nothing to do with coke. missed that part in the book when i was a kid.....lol
guess we just have diff view on funny or humor is all.

i find it hilarious.

what a bunch of crybabies. maybe if they raised their kids not to copy everything they see reindeer doing, ...

This from a guy who believes that BJ's aren't sex.

Edit: I think what bothers me is that children lose their sense of wonder so early and this just speeds it up.

fdd2blk said:

i find it hilarious.

what a bunch of crybabies. maybe if they raised their kids not to copy everything they see reindeer doing, ...

Click to expand...

Winter Woman said:

This from a guy who believes that BJ's aren't sex.

Edit: I think what bothers me is that children lose their sense of wonder so early and this just speeds it up.

Click to expand...

wtf are you talking about? BJ? sex? what?

OH MY GOD!!!!! what about the children?

wow didnt expect this....ill know to keep my kids away from these types

how bout a display of a lady being raped..that to do with xmas also??? humourus to? when some loose friends to crack and coke we tend to loose the humor, or ex addicts

Cannabisworks said:

wow didnt expect this....ill know to keep my kids away from these types

Click to expand...

don't you teach your kids to already know better?

do your kids always look to reindeer as role models?

does this really bother you?

can you explain how reindeer fly?

Cannabisworks said:

how bout a display of a lady being raped..that to do with xmas also??? humourus to? when some loose friends to crack and coke we tend to loose the humor, or ex addicts

Click to expand...

i don't understand how rape and coke are the same.

I thought I deleted that. Oh shit.

A while ago we had a discuss about whether or not BJ's were sex. You said-no, I said-yes. It had something to do with Bill Clinton. I think our ideas of what is appropriate is very different.

And yes, Oh-the children.

fdd2blk said:

wtf are you talking about? BJ? sex? what?

OH MY GOD!!!!! what about the children?

Click to expand...

Winter Woman said:

I thought I deleted that. Oh shit.

A while ago we had a discuss about whether or not BJ's were sex. You said-no, I said-yes. It had something to do with Bill Clinton. I think our ideas of what is appropriate is very different.

And yes, Oh-the children.

Click to expand...

i have no idea what you are talking about or how it relates to this topic.


you think a blowup reindeer doing coke hurts our children?

Winter Woman said:

Edit: I think what bothers me is that children lose their sense of wonder so early and this just speeds it up.

Click to expand...

DRAMA ALERT!!!!!!

If you are walking a 4 year old child down the street and they see that... What are we supposed to do teach a 4 year old what cocaine is? Please.

fdd2blk said:

don't you teach your kids to already know better?

do your kids always look to reindeer as role models?

does this really bother you?

can you explain how reindeer fly?

Click to expand...

i dont see how coke and xmas relate either is why i said that dumb comment. its about family and sharing and caring...to me..

by the way...reindeer dont fly....that was just a story. sorry to burst your bubble...lol..jk

and like guy son last page said...time n place...a shoe store that family frequent i dont think is the place. maybe a pot themed tree at a headshop..but coke at a shoe store.?
even the store owner knew it wasnt cool im sure or he wouldnt have left town and had the clerk left to seal with it

Winter Woman said:

If you are walking a 4 year old child down the street and they see that... What are we supposed to do teach a 4 year old what cocaine is? Please.

Click to expand...

how would a 4 year old know that was cocaine, or meant to be cocaine?

if a 4 year old asked me about cocaine i would do my best to explain, in a 4 year old manner, what cocaine was.

why is it so hard for people to talk to their children? what scares me more then a reindeer doing coke is parents who fear a reindeer doing coke.

who the fuck allows their children to be INFLUENCED by a store display? yes, i do fear for our children when we have parents like this.