Franklin Yarn Shop Calls 'Women's Movement' 'Vile,' Asks Marchers to Shop Elsewhere

FRANKLIN, TN — Calling the "women's movement" "vile," a Franklin yarn shop is asking backers of the worldwide weekend marches that drew millions to get their knitting supplies elsewhere.

In a posting on Facebook, Elizabeth Poe, owner of the Joy of Knitting on Hillsboro Road, said she would pray for participants in the marches, but requested they go somewhere else for their yarn. Many marchers wore yarn caps called "pussy hats" as a symbol of solidarity, a sort of Phrygian cap demonstrating support for women's rights and opposition to President Donald Trump.

Yarn stores around the country reported a short supply of pink yarn in the lead-up to the marches and while it's not apparent from the posting if the Joy of Knitting ran low, Poe wanted to make it clear she'd prefer any future pink-yarn purchasers use the material for potholders or sweaters rather than distinctive caps.

The post has drawn thousands of reactions, largely negative, and its star rating has dropped from 1.7 stars to 1.2 in less than 12 hours. Reaction was similarly negative on Yelp, with pages and pages of one-star ratings — the first action for the store on Yelp in more than three years — with many customers also noting that Poe prohibits any children under the age of 9 from entering the store, even if accompanied by a parent.

The posting went up Tuesday evening, days after the conclusion of the marches and it does not note if the Joy of Knitting itself benefited from the demand spike in pink yarn, as the Nashville march drew more than 15,000 people. Poe told The Tennessean the shop's phone had been ringing constantly Wednesday — Patch's calls went unanswered — and that despite the widespread opposition on the public side of social media, she has gotten numerous messages of support. And she's not backing down.

"This is starting to undermine their efforts," Poe told the newspaper. "The topless women? I think if you want to get your point across you need to do it the right way and I just think that walking around dressed as a vulva is gross. Hatred is not acceptable speech."

Meanwhile, Haus of Yarn on White Bridge Road in Nashville told the Nashville Scene that customers are "absolutely allowed to buy that from our shop. Anyone is allowed to buy any color they want for any project they want."

Patch has reached out to other local stores for their stance on pink-yarn policing and will update with their comments.

Image via Neal McNamara, Patch staff