Fact Check

Lowe's Sells American Flag Door Mats?

Does Lowe's sell American flag doormats?

Published May 22, 2012

Claim:

Claim:   The Lowe's home improvement chain sells American flag doormats.


MIXTURE


Examples:   [Collected via e-mail, May 2012]


Lowes now selling American flag door mats

To all Concerned,

Lowe's is now selling American Flag doormats. As Memorial day and 4th of July is approaching, many stores are trying to increase their profits. Needless to say, the selling of American Flag doormats has many Veterans upset. Veterans feel that they fought for the American Flag, many losing their lives, and many permanently injured for the freedoms that the American Flag represents, yet Lowe's is now selling the American Flag as a doormat, " something to be walked on, and something to wipe your feet on", as one veteran put it. "Are they slapping our faces or what", asked another veteran.

The V.F.W., the American Legion, and several other organizations was immediately contacted. A veteran with 33 years in the U.S. Navy, had went to Lowe's to buy $300.00 worth of lumber to build a fence, but when he saw the American Flag doormat, he flipped out, made Lowe's take back the lumber and refund his money. Several others walked out of the store. At the Lowe's in N. Charleston, SC, the manager took all the doormats off of display because of complaints and called Lowe's headquarters to report the consumer's and veterans complaints.

Those who grew up respecting the American Flag, and those who fought to defend it, would never let the American Flag touch the ground, much less use it as a doormat, to walk on or wipe your feet on it!

Most likely these doormats are made in China, but they are distributed by:

Mohawk Home
3032 Sugar Valley Rd., NW
Sugar Valley, Georgia 30746

Please pass this on to as many people you can. Some of us still respect and love America and our Flag, and what it represents.



 

Origins:   Back in May 2012 the item reproduced above began circulating on the Internet, expressing disapproval that the Lowe's chain of home improvement stores was selling an American flag doormat distributed by Mohawk Home. The basis for this complaint was initially something of a puzzle, as neither the Lowe's nor the Mohawk Home flooring web site listed a U.S. flag doormat among the many styles of doormats they offered, and inquiries to both companies produced responses indicating that while they did sell doormats themed with patriotic colors, they did not vend doormats picturing the American flag.

Lowe's replied that:



Like many retailers, Lowe’s offers a variety of home décor items that help homeowners prepare to commemorate three very important dates in our country — Memorial Day, Flag Day and July 4th.

Among the items available are doormats; however, the doormats have patriotic colors and none have images of the American flag. Also, the doormats are Made in the USA, not China.


And Mohawk Home responded:



Thank you for contacting us. Have you seen the doormat that is in question? We have some that are patriotic in theme with the colors of red, white and blue. We do not have a mat that is the flag. I am sorry for the confusion. The majority of our products are still made in the USA — right here in North Ga. Please search "Still Made in the USA by Mohawk Home" on YouTube if you are interested on learning more about what our company stands for.

Eventually an example of the the doormat in question (sold at some Lowe's outlets and made by Mohawk) was identified. It wasn't technically a reproduction of the U.S. flag itself, but it contained elements and colors of the U.S. flag and was apparently close enough to the real thing to have become the focus of complaints:

Literal depictions of the U.S. flag on doormats do exist, however, and other retailers have responded to consumer complaints by removing them from their inventories.

Last updated:   3 June 2013


Sources:




    LaBelle, Kurt.   "Veteran Upset Over Store Selling American Flag Doormats."

    KTVI-TV [St. Louis].   23 May 2012.


David Mikkelson founded the site now known as snopes.com back in 1994.

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