Jeweler’s Mother’s Day Promo Triggers Protests
A two-for-one Mother’s Day promotion backfired on a jewelry store owner who offered a free gun with the purchase of a diamond ring.
The ads, which began running last week, were pulled from television and radio after complaints from customers, said John Laughter, owner of Shelley’s Jewelry. “We’ve offended some of our older female customers,” he said Wednesday.
Shelley’s four stores in Hendersonville, Waynesville and Forest City had offered a .22-caliber rifle with every diamond ring sold.
“Everybody commented on the old joke about shotgun weddings,” Laughter said.
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