Tennessee florist refuses service for Republican National Committee fundraising event

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) — A Nashville-based florist has refused a large order for a Republican National Convention fundraising set for this weekend in Nashville.

The FLWR Shop wrote a letter to the RNC declining the opportunity to provide floral arrangements because they wanted to publicly clarify their political stance and are asking for gun reform.

In an Instagram post, the FLWR Shop publicly declined the request for the RNC event saying, "(They would) like to challenge others in the Nashville event industry to say no to taking money or jobs from the Republican party until they begin to make the changes to gun laws that most Americans are calling for."

WZTV went to the FLWR Shop in Belle Meade to try and speak with owner about his stance, but he was not in the store.

The owner followed up with a statement, saying,

Most Americans including Conservatives agree we need some commonsense reform of gun laws. Refusing to work with the RNC is not a rebuke of Conservative values, it was a plea to our lawmakers... To step up and do what Americans are asking and expecting of them."

Sadly, as we’ve seen these last few weeks, it’s all about theater and drawing attention mainly to yourself,” conservative commentator Scottie Nell Hughes said.

Hughes says that the public stance has caused more people to talk about the FLWR Shop instead of the issue: gun control.

“If their goal was to be about putting focus on what they say they are supposed to do which is gun control, the reality is that’s not what we’re talking about. We’re talking about their shop and choosing one political ideology over another."

Hughes says she does not understand why the shop is focused on attacking Republicans, rather than getting more business, but she does say they do have the right to refuse customers.