Outraged customers ambush Home Depot over worker's hat






A photo of Staten Islander Krystal Lake wearing a hat that reads "America Was Never Great" to work at Home Depot went viral on social media.
Amanda Steen | asteen@siadvance.com

By Mark D. Stein | stein@siadvance.com

on May 18, 2016 at 8:10 PM, updated May 18, 2016 at 8:30 PM

Home Depot worker's 'America was never great' hat sparks social media rage Krystal Lake of St. George, Staten Island, tells us why she wore a custom-made hat during her shift at Home Depot, reading 'America was never great' which has sparked a social media outrage nationwide. (Video by Amanda Steen)

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Home Depot is at the heart of a fiery controversy, and customers are rapidly expressing their opinions
.
Angry social media users have slammed the company's Facebook page following the rise of a viral picture of a Staten Island Home Depot employee wearing a white cap that reads, "America Was Never Great" -- an answer to Donald Trump's "Make America great again" campaign.

Krystal Lake, 22, was spotted wearing the cap during her Sunday morning shift at the Forest Avenue location in Mariners Harbor.

Furious customers have ambushed the company's Facebook page with posts -- seemingly each minute this afternoon -- claiming they'll never shop at the big box hardware shop again.
The shocked patrons made statements saying they'll take their business to Lowe's; they're outraged the employee wore the hat, and that they want her supervisors to be fired.
Many of them read like this post from J.w. Binion: "So this is the image you encourage from your employees? As a U.S. veteran I am greatly offended and will never shop in your stores again - until Krystal (the girl wearing the hat) is discharged and a full apology is published to all decent Americans."

Fury over Home Depot worker's 'America was never great' hat

A Home Depot worker's 'America was never great' hat sparked social media rage Wednesday.
"We appreciate and understand the concerns of our loyal customers," company spokesman Stephan Holmes said. "In terms of the message, our associates are not permitted to wear items that reflect political statements.

"Unfortunately, no one on our management team saw her wearing the hat -- otherwise, they would have had her remove it immediately."

The photo appeared online sometime Tuesday night and began circulating across Facebook and Twitter. By late Wednesday afternoon, the image picked up steam.

In addition to its Forest location, Home Depot has two more Island stores in Clifton and Charleston.

Facebook users also posted negative reviews on the local Home Depots' social media pages.

Below is a sampling of the types of posts made on Home Depot's main page.

Courtney Smith
15 hours ago

I am SO glad I saw the picture of the disrespectful piece of garbage you have chosen to employ before placing my order for a new smoker for my husband's birthday. Looks like they have the same one at Lowes, just without the obvious hatred of America. Bye Home Depot!!


‎Carolynn Kushnir‎ to The Home Depot

16 hrs ·

Looks like I'll never shop at Home Depot again.. really???





Eric Sasala
15 hours ago




Worked for the company and always shopped here spent 10's of thousands of dollars with you. Now I will never step foot in your store again. Disgusted with your company


‎Justine Bergen‎ to The Home Depot
16 hrs ·

Hat says "America was never great " I can't believe your company would allow a worker to wear this.

‎Michael Hawkins‎ to The Home Depot
16 hrs · Hartwood, VA ·

Unacceptable she needs fired!

Social media users were also voicing their disgust on Twitter. Below is a snapshot of some of the language and tones expressed in tweets.

Twitter users also voiced outrage toward Home Depot






Nathan Ian ‎@rydjonn

@HomeDepot one of your Staten Island NY employees. Is this Home depot's message to America???? (Look at her hat!)
10:24 AM - 18 May 2016