Sooke business wrongfully targeted after nearby shop posts controversial sign related to Kid Rock

A marine shop in Sooke has received threatening messages after it was mistaken for a nearby boat building business that posted a controversial message on its roadside sign.

Sooke Marine Centre has received dozens of messages and online reviews after the nearby Barry Marine, located two doors down the road, posted a message that some are calling trans-phobic.

The contentious sign, that has since been removed, read, "Get them woke Bud Lights out for target practice."

It was referencing a video posted to Twitter by musician Kid Rock in response to Bud Light's support of a transgender influencer.

The video shows Rock shoot up cases of Bud Light. It's also part of a larger movement that has begun south of the border to boycott the company.

Since the sign was posted last week, Sooke Marine Centre has received dozens of messages and online reviews from around the world, with some of them in support of the controversial sign, and some upset by it.

The owners of Sooke Marine Centre are concerned that the mix up is sending the wrong message about their business and say they are taking valuable time during a busy part of the year to reply to each message to correct the mistake.

"When people look at the media that they saw, they see 'marine' and they see Sooke Marine, and then they come to us," said Shauna Holm, who co-owns the business with her husband, Peter Holm.

"We do have a sign, but we don’t put political opinions on our sign," she said. "It’s a business sign and we don’t support what he’s putting on his sign."

The numerous reviews have negatively impacted the business’s review on Google, lowering what the owners say is a well-deserved five star rating, that they work hard to maintain, to a four star review.

"Our small business relies on a lot of good word," said Shauna.

"Bad word travels fast and good word travels slow, and we know that for a fact."

The owners said they have contacted Google to get the negative reviews removed from the online giant's review page, but received a reply saying the reviews do not violate any guidelines.

"I could lose business because of that," vented Shauna.

That has prompted her to contact individuals directly online to clear up the confusion, leading some posters to update their reviews.

'KIND OF SCARY'

The family says they received messages from around the globe protesting the controversial sign and that some messages have even been threatening.

"What could happen next? Is someone going to come and vandalize our property, damage the boats? We just don’t know," said Peter.

Just as concerning for the couple is the messages of support for what some are calling a hateful message.

"It’s kind of scary, knowing that there’s a lot of these people," said Peter.

"I don’t know if they’re in our community or if they’re not, 'cause we can’t really tell."

Peter said he hopes people posting negative reviews of a business over a controversy like this take the time to make sure they are actually targeting the correct business.

With the family-run business in the midst of a busy part of the year, the couple hopes the confusion will be cleared up.

"We just need to try and build that rating back up where it was," said Peter.

"We’ll work hard at it and we’ll move on."

With files from CTV News Vancouver Island's Brendan Strain.