Backlash For Doylestown Business Offering Discount To Vaccinated

DOYLESTOWN, PA — When a Doylestown Borough shop owner announced on Facebook that her customers could receive a 10 percent discount on store items upon showing proof of a COVID-19 vaccination, she couldn't have imagined her social media post would receive the amount of responses that it did.

Donna Gouldey, owner of Allora Gifts & Home Decor on West State Street, has received an overwhelming response to her promotional offer. Her post on her business's Facebook page has received more than 1,100 comments, with some praising her decision and others accusing her of bullying or shaming others who choose not to get a COVID-19 vaccine.

As seen on Facebook:

• "What you are offering is Vaccination Discrimination and it's WRONG!
• Do you know any other Doylestown businesses that are doing this? I’m coming to the sidewalk sale this Saturday and I want to make sure to not give a dime to any businesses doing what you’re doing."
• "This is disgraceful and you should be ashamed of yourself."

While the pushback was unexpected, Gouldey told NBC Philadelphia she plans on leaving the post up and continuing to offer the discount, as many customers are taking her up on the offer.

"The whole point of the post was in celebration of the milestone of the vaccine," Gouldey said. "I also had people coming in and telling me they didn't want the vaccine, and that is completely okay. I respect everybody's opinions.

"It is important for me and my community to show what I stand for and what I believe in. I want my customers and my community to know what I support and what's important to me," she added.

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