DETROIT – There is a lot of controversy surrounding a huge Christmas inflatable named “Gretch the Grinch” at a Trenton restaurant.
The owner of the restaurant says he felt it was one of the only ways to get a message across.
“We’re following all the guidelines and it’s just frustrating. We’re just trying to survive,” said Truago owner, Jeremy Syrocki.
So Syrocki literally put those frustrations on display in the form of a holiday classic.
“The Grinch is kind of the restaurant business, the staff and my way to tell the governor that we don’t think she’s doing a good job,” said Syrocki.
The Trenton business owner isn’t a fan of the two-day notice given when putting the latest into place. He was forced to layoff dozens of workers.
“We have 100-150 employees that need this job, they want this job,” said Syrocki.
Some are with Syrocki like the woman who wrote this letter who has immediate family members battling COVID.
“These are her words: ‘I absolutely love your Grinch. Shutting down is not the answer’. She’s not offended at all. ‘It’s a great way to let out your frustrations and it’s better than going out to the street with rocks,’” Syrocki read.
And those who weren’t so happy with the form of protest.
“We put the Grinch up and people took it how they wanted to right away. They took it as an insult to the hospital workers, to the healthcare workers. By no means was that our intent. We love them,” Syrocki added.
Either way he says wants better leadership from the woman in charge of our state.
“If no one is willing to work with her in the upper echelon of our government, then it might be her that’s the problem. People will follow a real leader and I don’t think she’s a leader,” Syrocki said.
Syrocki says his customers have been quite supportive at least for now keeping the business afloat with carry-out orders.
The number of confirmed cases of the coronavirus in Michigan has risen to 314,216 as of Monday, including 8,543 deaths, state officials report.
Read: Here are 14 changes going into effect under Michigan’s new COVID-19 restrictions
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