A small frozen yogurt shop in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, says it has received death threats and a wave of online harassment after placing memorial stickers honoring conservative activist Charlie Kirk on its cups.
Grooveberries Frozen Yogurt co-owners Sarah and Chase Gibson said the shop affixed stickers bearing a photograph of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk and the dates "1993-2025" to its red cups. The couple told Fox News Digital that the store has received hateful emails and negative social-media reviews, including messages that suggested the owners "should be dead."
"We have been receiving hate. Even someone saying we should be dead," Sarah Gibson said. The shop reported a range of comments on Facebook and direct emails to the business, including messages that called the owners "sick" and accused them of celebrating Kirk's death. One review alleged the owners were "White supremacists." Another critic wrote, "I don't like fascism mixed in my yogurt."
The Gibsons said the response has been mixed but that community support has increased since the backlash began. Sarah Gibson said customers have rallied behind the store and that sales of the cups have been strong. She said Grooveberries placed a new order for more Kirk stickers and planned to continue offering the commemorative cups "for as long as consumers demand them."
The couple said they are tracking sales tied to the tribute cups and intend to send funds to Kirk's widow, Erika Kirk, referencing a donation designation they called a "blueberry budget," a term they said echoed language from a public statement by the family after Kirk's killing.
The Gibsons said they planned to reach out to Meta to request removal of the most troubling comments. Sarah Gibson characterized the backlash as politically motivated and said it had prompted some residents to be more outspoken in support of the tribute. "I love how supportive our community is," she said. "Their support for Charlie and what he stands for completely outshines the negativity."
A conservative commentator who visited the shop described the tribute as "refreshing" and said honoring Kirk should not be controversial, noting his family status and the public nature of his death. The commentator said she was pleased to see what she called "even small gestures of kindness" in the community.
Grooveberries opened in 2021 after the coronavirus pandemic, and the owners state on the shop's website that their faith is central to their lives and work. Sarah Gibson described Kirk as a figure who "died a martyr for his faith in Jesus Christ," and said the shop would keep making the cups to help continue what she called his message.
Local businesses and owners of small shops often face scrutiny when they take public positions on political or cultural figures. In this case, the owners said the response combined both organized criticism and personal threats, prompting them to take steps to protect their staff and property and to seek removal of abusive material from social platforms.
The Gibsons said they will continue to operate the shop and to sell the tribute cups, and that they will donate related proceeds to the family of Kirk. They declined to provide additional details about the threats to law enforcement at this time. Further developments, including any actions by social-media platforms or local authorities, were not immediately available.