A Detroit restaurant drew some online reaction this week after making an announcement about its dress code policy, including telling customers it “smells like marijuana ”to not even“ think about getting in ”.
Caucus Club Detroit on a Tuesday Facebook Post wrote that “Business Casual is the minimum dress code that must be followed during dinner” at the restaurant.
“Seriously, people, sweatshirts and T-shirts are not business suits,” noted the sophisticated restaurant, adding that “caps” and “sneakers” would also not be considered suitable.
“Most importantly, if you smell like marijuana, don’t even think about joining the Caucus Club,” added the post. “Remember that strong ‘odors’ are unacceptable.”
The owner of the restaurant, George Sboukis, told Fox’s local affiliate station WJBK that the posting was motivated by customers who attended the establishment of fine dining with more relaxed clothing during the coronavirus pandemic, as well as complaints from some customers that other guests smelled like marijuana.
“It is so poignant that some guests commented, ‘It looks like you are sitting next to a dead skunk,'” he told the local news agency.
He added that those who go to the restaurant must also be prepared to follow the dress guidelines.
“We had people celebrating their 50th birthday [anniversary] last week, a week before that. They are getting ready, they are putting on an evening dress, their earrings, their best suit ”, explained Sboukis. “They are coming to celebrate and hope to be surrounded by like-minded guests.”
While some Facebook users voiced their support for the restaurant’s post, with one person commenting, “just because it’s [marijuana] it’s cool … you don’t have to show it, ”others said the guidelines were racist.
“This is a coded language for racism and will probably be used as a tool to prevent Black and POC Detroiter’s from dining here, ”wrote one person. “Horrible decision to do such a job. You lost so much business because of a restaurant so ‘sophisticated’ that you would have thought that more thought would have gone into a position like this. ”
Sboukis, however, told WJBK that he “didn’t want to do any harm”, adding that the Facebook post “was a reminder with a little sauce just to get people’s attention”.
In Michigan, recreational use of marijuana is legal for all adults 21 and older, although state law prohibits smoking in public spaces, with residents encouraged to limit use in their homes or other private areas.