‘Dukes of Hazzard’ Novelty Store Causes a Political Fender Bender

[struggle4progress]

By MICHAEL M. PHILLIPS
Updated Sept. 5, 2016 7:48 p.m. ET

SPERRYVILLE, Va.—For 20 years, Ben Jones has parlayed his role as Cooter in “The Dukes of Hazzard” into a Southern-fried business empire based on nostalgia for the television series.

Mr. Jones owns one Cooter’s store .. down the road from Dollywood, and another .. not far from the Grand Ole Opry. Since opening Cooter’s in the Country here just over a year ago, the new store has brought in $950,000 selling items such as Confederate flag beer koozies, Cooter’s Garage guitar picks and models of Bo and Luke Duke’s orange 1969 Dodge Charger, the General Lee.

... Mr. Jones has announced that the Sperryville store will shut down in October because Rappahannock County “snobs” won’t let his customers park behind the store, an area zoned for agriculture ...

Mr. Jones, who served two terms in Congress after “The Dukes of Hazzard” ended in 1985, says the “them” is local government he considers officious, local press he considers slanted and local “elites” who “stare down their noses” at the likes of him, he says ...

http://www.wsj.com/articles/general-flee-dukes-of-hazzard-store-in-virginia-to-close-after-political-fender-bender-1473098208

[yeoman6987]

1. No way that's the reason

Probably not getting many buys today of confederate flag junk. I never heard of a parking excuse for closing a store. It's actually absurd.

[Lint Head]

2. An old TV show most people really don't give a good

rat's ass about.