‘Swimming Pool White Only.’ Colorado antiques store accused of selling racist signs

An antiques shop in Colorado has been accused of selling racist merchandise, including signs that read “Public Swimming Pool White Only” and “Colored Seated in Rear.”

A viral Facebook post by Natán Rebelde, who published the photos on behalf of a “concerned community member,” showed the items being sold at Antique Corral in Cortez.

“I waited 45 minutes to speak with the owner and then talked for 20 minutes with her,” the post read. “She is unwilling to remove these items from the store. In fact she shared with me that as soon as they sell out she will most definitely replace them with more. These items are not antiques but are replicas that she has specifically bought new to stock.”

Another shop visitor, Nicola Shanks, told KDVR that she saw the signs in the store months ago and wanted to speak to the owner, but she wasn’t there.

Shanks returned and asked the shop owner, Cheryl Dean, to take the signs down. Dean reportedly refused and told Shanks “to go back to England where I came from,” she said.

“I was angry, confused, shocked and absolutely just dumbfounded,” Shanks told KDVR.

Dean told KDVR that she’s been selling the signs for years.

“I’ve lived in a small town my whole life. I don’t even know what the word means,” Dean said. “There’s been black people in the store and we laugh about it. There’s people that collect that stuff. It has nothing to do with racism. It’s part of history, like, ‘Look how far we’ve come.’”

A post on Antique Corral’s Facebook page said that the signs have sold out due to “all the advertising.”

“For all you people so worried about the 2-3 signs I sell in my store. I’m happy to report they are not there anymore!!!” the post read. “They all sold today with all the advertising!!!”

This story was originally published January 17, 2020 at 11:14 AM with the headline "‘Swimming Pool White Only.’ Colorado antiques store accused of selling racist signs."