Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Mea Gulpa: Firestone Invites Fresnans to Chill With Brewer
David Website Replacement
By David Taub, Senior Reporter
Published 5 years ago on
September 9, 2019

Share

Firestone Walker Brewing Company wants Fresno to know it loves having the city as its neighbor.
David Walker — president of the company that crafts such brands as 805 and Firestone DBA — is mortified about a disparaging comment made by his brewery’s communication director about Fresno over the weekend.


Listen to this article:
 



“It’s inaccurate. It’s a dumb comment made on her own personal time.”David Walker, Firestone Walker Brewing Company president
“It’s inaccurate. It’s a dumb comment made on her own personal time,” Walker said of the tweet Jemma Wilson made about Fresno.
Now, Walker wants to make things right. He’s invited Fresno to come to his Paso Robles brewery for “Chill with Fresnans” tours and samples. He also said something in Fresno may be in the works.
“Fresno is our neighbor, and we want to be neighborly,” Walker said.

Responding to a John Legend Tweet

Hours before he became embroiled in a Twitter fight with President Donald Trump (through his wife Chrissy Teigen), Grammy-winning singer John Legend tweeted about his stop in Fresno.
At Saturday’s Fresno State football game, Legend posted that he was there to support his nephew, Minnesota wide receiver Michael Brown-Stephens.


Expectedly, Legend’s Fresno stop was retweeted hundreds of times, mostly positive on Golden Gopher football.
However, Wilson responded with “I’m so sorry you had to go to Fresno though” in a tweet that is no longer publicly accessible.

The tweet by Jemma Wilson on Twitter, as captured by user Mike Seay.

Immediate Backlash

The backlash on the social media platform came quickly. Many people were shocked that a communications director could make such a comment.
“I’m well past caring about people taking easy, lazy shots at Fresno. This time I’m mostly amazed that as hard as Firestone markets here (even sponsoring our big music festival), their comms manager is so quick to s— on us,” said Mike Oz, the Fresno-based Yahoo Sports national baseball writer and organizer of such events as the Taco Truck Throwdown.
Mark Standriff, the spokesman for Mayor Lee Brand, had some advice as someone who works in communications himself.
“And now @JemWilson84 has pulled her tweet and locked her feed. Doubling down on bad decisions. #comms101@FirestoneWalker,” he responded on Twitter.
Fresno councilmembers Esmeralda Soria and Luis Chavez took up for the city they represent.
“The nerve,” tweeted Soria who is also running for congress.


Chavez wasn’t as diplomatic.
“Not sure I would be bragging about your flat/flavorless IPA’s, there’s a reason they end up on the “goody” mystery clearance box at BevMo, where you can get 25 of them for $12. Stick to wine,” he wrote.

Wilson ‘Mortified,’ According to Boss

Walker, the brewery’s co-founder and namesake, said he’s “faced quite rightly some pushback,” over his employee’s comment.
He would not remark on the current status of his marketing director, but did say she was mortified and made “scores of apologies.”
“(Her views) do not reflect the views of the company,” Walker said of the fallout.
“It’s extraordinary the impact that something (that) appeared casual from a personal weekend comment can flow over to an employer and to 500 good-hearted people who don’t share the same opinions,” Walker said.
That’s why Walker extended the offer for Fresnans to make the drive west to Paso Robles.
Fresno is important to Firestone Walker, not just because of the proximity. Walker — without giving specific numbers — said Fresno is”a good regional market for us.”
“The city is precious to us. We’ve always been focused on Central California. We call it the home core,” added Adam Firestone, the brewery’s other co-founder and namesake.

DON'T MISS

Ohtani Makes History With 3rd MVP, Judge Claims 2nd AL Honor

DON'T MISS

Trump Chooses Pam Bondi for Attorney General Pick After Gaetz Withdraws

DON'T MISS

Average Rate on a 30-Year Mortgage in the US Rises to Highest Level Since July

DON'T MISS

Cutting in Line? American Airlines’ New Boarding Tech Might Stop You at Now Over 100 Airports

DON'T MISS

MLB Will Test Robot Umpires at 13 Spring Training Ballparks Hosting 19 Teams

DON'T MISS

Death Toll in Gaza From Israel-Hamas War Passes 44,000, Palestinian Officials Say

DON'T MISS

Jussie Smollett’s Conviction in 2019 Attack on Himself Is Overturned

DON'T MISS

Fresno Council Lowers Speed Limits on Friant and Audubon

DON'T MISS

How About an Honest Conversation About the Range of Light Monument Proposal?

DON'T MISS

UConn Coach Geno Auriemma Breaks NCAA Wins Record With 1,217th Victory

UP NEXT

Fresno Doctors Will Pay $2.4 Million to Settle Kickback Allegations, DOJ Says

UP NEXT

These Fresno Schools Are Unsafe and in Bad Condition. And No One Is Complaining

UP NEXT

What Will Happen to CNBC and MSNBC When They No Longer Have a Corporate Connection to NBC News?

UP NEXT

Bulldogs Stack Double-Doubles Like Burgers on a Plate to Beat Prairie View

UP NEXT

Major Storm Drops Record Rain, Downs Trees in Northern California After Devastation Further North

UP NEXT

Fresno County Men Arrested in Armed Robbery Near Sanger High, Sanger Academy

UP NEXT

Newsom Heads to Fresno, a County That Voted for Trump

UP NEXT

Conservative Professors and Students Are Beating CA Community Colleges in Court

UP NEXT

Suspect Arrested After Oakhurst Crime Spree Leaves K9 Injured

UP NEXT

With or Without Lockridge, Can Bulldogs Get Out of Their Own Way to Become Bowl Eligible?

David Taub,
Senior Reporter
Curiosity drives David Taub. The award-winning journalist might be shy, but feels mighty with a recorder in his hand. He doesn't see it his job to "hold public officials accountable," but does see it to provide readers (and voters) the information needed to make intelligent choices. Taub has been honored with several writing awards from the California News Publishers Association. He's just happy to have his stories read. Joining GV Wire in 2016, Taub covers politics, government and elections, mainly in the Fresno/Clovis area. He also writes columns about local eateries (Appetite for Fresno), pro wrestling (Off the Bottom Rope), and media (Media Man). Prior to joining the online news source, Taub worked as a radio producer for KMJ and PowerTalk 96.7 in Fresno. He also worked as an assignment editor for KCOY-TV in Santa Maria, California, and KSEE-TV in Fresno. He has also worked behind the scenes for several sports broadcasts, including the NCAA basketball tournament, and the Super Bowl. When not spending time with his family, Taub loves to officially score Fresno Grizzlies games. Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, Taub is a die-hard Giants and 49ers fan. He graduated from the University of Michigan with dual degrees in communications and political science. Go Blue! You can contact David at 559-492-4037 or at Send an Email

Cutting in Line? American Airlines’ New Boarding Tech Might Stop You at Now Over 100 Airports

57 minutes ago

MLB Will Test Robot Umpires at 13 Spring Training Ballparks Hosting 19 Teams

1 hour ago

Death Toll in Gaza From Israel-Hamas War Passes 44,000, Palestinian Officials Say

2 hours ago

Jussie Smollett’s Conviction in 2019 Attack on Himself Is Overturned

2 hours ago

Fresno Council Lowers Speed Limits on Friant and Audubon

2 hours ago

How About an Honest Conversation About the Range of Light Monument Proposal?

3 hours ago

UConn Coach Geno Auriemma Breaks NCAA Wins Record With 1,217th Victory

4 hours ago

Fresno Doctors Will Pay $2.4 Million to Settle Kickback Allegations, DOJ Says

4 hours ago

Warriors Guard De’Anthony Melton to Undergo Season-Ending Knee Surgery

4 hours ago

Massive Ground Beef Recall Affects Restaurants Nationwide, USDA Warns

4 hours ago

Ohtani Makes History With 3rd MVP, Judge Claims 2nd AL Honor

NEW YORK — Shohei Ohtani won his third Most Valuable Player Award and first in the National League, and Aaron Judge earned his second Americ...

8 minutes ago

8 minutes ago

Ohtani Makes History With 3rd MVP, Judge Claims 2nd AL Honor

Former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, speaks before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump arrives to speak at a campaign rally at First Horizon Coliseum, Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, in Greensboro, NC. (AP/Alex Brandon)
29 minutes ago

Trump Chooses Pam Bondi for Attorney General Pick After Gaetz Withdraws

52 minutes ago

Average Rate on a 30-Year Mortgage in the US Rises to Highest Level Since July

57 minutes ago

Cutting in Line? American Airlines’ New Boarding Tech Might Stop You at Now Over 100 Airports

1 hour ago

MLB Will Test Robot Umpires at 13 Spring Training Ballparks Hosting 19 Teams

2 hours ago

Death Toll in Gaza From Israel-Hamas War Passes 44,000, Palestinian Officials Say

2 hours ago

Jussie Smollett’s Conviction in 2019 Attack on Himself Is Overturned

Fresno motorcycle cop enforces the 45 mph speed limit
2 hours ago

Fresno Council Lowers Speed Limits on Friant and Audubon

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend