Camping World’s Flag Returns Amid Ongoing Controversy in Greenville

GREENVILLE, N.C. — Camping World’s American flag is back on display at their Greenville location after a brief absence. Store General Manager Jim Foskey said the flag was taken down Wednesday morning due to a tear and its inability to fly at half-staff in honor of Pope Francis’ death.

“It’s another strike against us,” said Steve Elks, a local resident who noticed the flag was missing. Foskey clarified that the flag was not removed for any controversial reasons but was replaced promptly after he received a call from CEO Marcus Lemonis. “He was upset because the flag came down, but it’s not down,” Foskey said. “We didn’t take it down for any reason. We took it down because it had a tear in it. We identified that. It’ll be back up within the next hour or hour and a half.”

By around 1 p.m. on Wednesday, the flag, which measures 130 feet tall and covers 3,200 square feet, was flying at its usual spot at the corner of Red Banks and Evans Street. Employees informed that they were honoring the pope by keeping the flag at quarter-staff while ensuring it complied with safety regulations.

“It needs to be there. I mean, it’s the American flag,” Elks added. The flag is much larger than regulations typically allow for non-residential properties, being almost 15 times the allowable size.

A city spokesperson noted that no legal action had been taken against Camping World regarding zoning violations as of Wednesday morning. The business has received 65 citations from the city, accumulating fines over $15,000.

Despite the ongoing controversy, Foskey’s stance is unwavering. “The flag is going to continue to fly. We’re representing the freedom of our country, so that’s what it’s all about,” he stated.