TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – A South Tampa coffee shop owner is confused as to why someone would vandalize his business.
Spaddy’s Coffee on South MacDill Avenue told 8 On Your Side, they found four white swastikas and the word ‘bad’ spray-painted on the shop’s sign Wednesday morning.
“I noticed that our sign was taken down, so I went out there to put it back up and I noticed there was some defacing on it,” said Spaddy’s owner Greg Spadaccini. “We live in a time where it is a shame people still think and believe this way. Part of me hopes it’s just someone goofing off and not someone who actually has that hatred in them.”
Spaddy’s, which shares a location with Raw Smoothie Co. explains that this isn’t the first time the business has been tagged since opening in late 2019.
“A couple weeks after opening we had a sign out on the street that was just defaced with the word ‘bad,’ which we really didn’t think too much of. We took it away and cleaned it up, put it back out. We didn’t report it to the police because it was a minor situation,” said Spadaccini.
According to the Tampa Police Department, the latest incident at Spaddy’s is considered criminal mischief and trespassing. Police believe $100 worth of damage was done to the sign.
Unfortunately, Spadaccini says security cameras did not catch the act.
“The immediate premise is surrounded by cameras, it didn’t catch where the sign is. We will be making some changes to that.”
In the meantime, the coffee shop owner has a theory as to why Spaddy’s may have been targeted and has a message for who may be responsible.
“I do think it’s someone who just dislikes the changes happening to this neighborhood. There is no need for the hate. Go get a hug from somebody and do the right thing,” said Spadaccini.
