There’s a “Whites-Only” Club in Charleston That Allegedly Enforces Racist Rules By Banning Black Guests

It’s 2018 and there’s a “whites-only” club in Charleston, South Carolina. Yes, you read correctly.

According to Post Courier, Deco Nightclub has been allegedly enforcing racist rules, and not allowing Black party goers into the club. Because of this, last week the club received nearly 200 one-star ratings. In one incident, a Black woman named Kaitland Paige said a bouncer wouldn’t allow her entry because she “didn’t have a membership card.” However, Paige says she saw a white woman only use her license to get in.

Several others with similar experiences went to the club’s Facebook page to share their concerns. In response, the club applauded the establishment’s diversity and inclusion practices. “We’ve immediately discontinued any type of membership program. All current VIP cards, etc., will no longer be accepted or required as a means of entry for anyone, anytime,” the owner posted. “We have cut ties with employees who are not aligned with our company’s core values of collaboration, communication, and inclusion; and will continue to seek out new employees to better serve you.”

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Since then, the club has been receiving five-star ratings but those ratings don’t carry over to Google and Facebook. The NAACP chapter in Charleston has yet to receive a formal complaint, according to Vibe.com.  “We look forward to continuing the dialogue in real time through our social channels and on our website,” Deco Club posted online.

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The club’s lawyer claims some of the former employees would allow friends inside Deco without following the policy. “At times, we have had to limit the number of people we can legally allow in the club due to various regulations including occupancy requirements by the fire marshal. It appears we have had employees allow their friends to enter the club despite not adhering to our dress codes. Since we have received some complaints, our managers have had to terminate some employees who did not follow our policies or who were not respectful to our customers.”