[Vision2020] Archies on the Square [DN Article: Read carefully and completely]

[Art Deco]

Residents protest restaurant owner's treatment of man; Another protest planned outside Archie's on the Square

By Omie Drawhorn, Daily News staff writer

Tuesday, March 27, 2007 - Page Updated at 12:06:00 PM

A group of Moscow residents protested in Friendship Square on Sunday in response to an alleged incident of discrimination against a disabled man. Protestors plan to return this Sunday as well.

The incident started when Moscow residents Tom Hopper and Dan Skelton, 34, visited Archie's on the Square for breakfast Sunday.

Skelton, who is nonverbal and severely disabled, was excited to be there, said Hopper, who has served as Skelton's caregiver for 10 years.

"He's mobile and real social. He's like a social butterfly and wants to say 'Hi' to everyone," Hopper said. "He was making noises, like 'hey, hey, hey' to the hostess."

Hopper said the two followed the hostess between the co-owner of Archies, Jim Johnson, and two customers he was talking to.

"The very nature of the restaurant is when you are seated you have to walk between them," Hopper said.

Skelton stopped to sign to Johnson that he was really excited to be there and wanted to eat.

"(Johnson) instantly became angry that he was interrupted," Hopper said.

Hopper said Johnson told him, "Will you do something about this now?"

After the two walked over to sit down, Hopper said Johnson told him, "This guy is bad for business, my friend."

"I thought, OK, I guess he doesn't want us to eat here," Hopper said.

So the two left for The Breakfast Club.

Johnson said he was in no way disrespectful to Hopper and Skelton.

"They walked in and got between two senior customers I was talking to," he said. "I was just starting to say, 'How was your breakfast?' when the young man stepped between the table and me and started making weird grunting noises, grabbing my hand and shaking it. I thought he was either drunk or on PCP."

He said Skelton stayed in his face with his rear end in the face of the customers.

Johnson said he did tell Hopper and Skelton that Skelton's behavior wasn't good for business, but he didn't realize Skelton was disabled and just assumed the two would sit down and have breakfast.

After they finished eating at The Breakfast Club, Hopper called Archie's to talk to the owner about the way he and Skelton were treated.

Hopper discovered that Johnson was the restaurant's co-owner.

"I told him that I thought we were treated pretty rudely and he said (Skelton) was rude and for all he knew Dan was drunk," Hopper said.

Hopper said he then told Johnson that Skelton wasn't drunk, but disabled.

"He said 'How should I know? He should wear a goddamn sign around his neck,' " Hopper said.

When Hopper threatened to write a letter to the editor about the incident, Johnson told Hopper he could write two for all he cared.

"He had plenty of time to say he misunderstood, but he just became enraged again," Hopper said.

Johnson said he did say those things, but he was provoked.

"He accused me of being rude and mean-spirited to a mentally handicapped person," Johnson said. "Both the waitress and I witnessed this along with the senior couple and our first impression was that he consumed a large amount of alcohol. (Hopper) said I should have known, but I don't know what signing means. It didn't look like anything in the movies, it was weird gibberish with him slapping himself on the chest or chin."

Johnson said he indicated that Hopper do his job and gently escort Skelton out of the situation.

"I thought this never happens, I should at least protest this," Hopper said.

Hopper and Skelton showed up in Friendship Square on Sunday with yellow signs. They were joined by about 20 other people who had heard about the protest.

"There were people in there, kids in his restaurant, but (Johnson) stood there for a while and flipped us off," he said.

Johnson denied making the gesture toward the protestors, although he said he told the protestors to come back again because he had more business than the previous Sunday.

Hopper said he isn't seeking vengeance.

"This is just bizarre," he said. "He's starting a restaurant and he needs community support to make a living, but he's not willing to support the community."

Johnson said the situation has been an absolute nightmare.

"My friends and employees know in my wildest dreams I would never pull what people are accusing me of," he said. "I've come to Moscow and invested $650,000 in this town. I'm 63 years old, this is my last hurrah. We are busting our hinds for every bit of business so we can have this investment pay off."

Johnson said no matter what happens, he'll be painted in a negative light.

"No matter what I say people are going to believe what they want to believe," he said.

Omie Drawhorn can be reached at(208) 882-5561, ext. 234 or by e-mail at odrawhorn at dnews.com.
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