Philz Coffee, the San Francisco-based chain that has a location in Evanston, has ordered store managers to remove Pride flags from all its stores, a move facing backlash from employees and customers.
Philz has 75 locations nationwide, with one in Evanston at 1030 Davis St. and five in Chicago. On Sunday, employees confirmed that they were told by management on Friday to remove the Pride flag that hung on a wall inside the store. The employees said they were also banned from speaking to the media.
According to news reports, Philz CEO Mahesh Sadarangani sent a confidential letter to employees saying the company was removing “a variety of flags and other decor” in order to create “a more consistent, inclusive experience across all our stores…