Nordstrom is facing allegations of racial profiling after Charles Sowell Kellam, the Black founder of luxury brand Fruitful Rooster, claims a manager followed, confronted, and humiliated him at an Arizona store earlier this year. Kellam alleges the March 21 incident at Scottsdale Fashion Square occurred because he is Black.
The confrontation, which involved Kellam's German Shepherd, Ruby, reportedly drew mall security and was partially recorded by bystanders. A key point of contention is whether Kellam's dog, which he states was a leashed, trained service animal, was properly restrained. Kellam recounts the manager telling him to "bring a leash," suggesting a discrepancy in adherence to store or service animal policies.
Arizona law and federal regulations generally require service animals to be leashed or tethered unless it interferes with their work or the handler's disability. Kellam stated the manager monitored him while he was in the E-Bar area, accused him of violating store rules, and asked him not to return. The incident escalated to the involvement of security personnel.
Kellam publicly shared his allegations in June, posting video and accusing Nordstrom of profiling and stalking him. He also launched a GoFundMe campaign tied to the incident, aiming to open a physical store for Fruitful Rooster. As of Wednesday, the campaign had raised over $800 towards a $30,000 goal.
Kellam's attorney, Sean Woods, has formally requested surveillance footage from Nordstrom. The store has not publicly released complete surveillance footage from the store or the mall. Kellam has stated that he escalated his complaint to Nordstrom's corporate leadership and participated in a call with a company representative. According to Kellam, Nordstrom characterized the encounter as a misunderstanding rather than acknowledging potential discrimination, and no company correspondence or internal investigative findings have been made public.
Kellam faces a Wednesday deadline to file a racial discrimination complaint with Arizona officials, 180 days after the March 21 incident. Arizona law allows for compensatory damages, including for emotional distress, as well as injunctive relief, costs, and attorneys' fees if a violation is established. The Post has sought comment from Kellam, his attorney, the manager identified as Mary Nell Maddox, and Nordstrom.