Asian small business owners’ sweet response to racist note

Staff at a Cheltenham ice cream shop were crushed when they discovered a nasty note stuck to their shopfront. But they rallied back in the best possible way.

Paradise Gelato staff, including co-owner Joyce Ng, are not letting racist slurs get them down. Picture: Josie Hayden

A gelati store has issued an overwhelmingly sweet response to ugly racist abuse.

When young business owners Joyce Ng and Andi Lee found “Asian Gelato, No way, go back to where you came from slopeheads” pinned to their store front, they announced the creation of a special “Asian flavoured” gelato.

Matcha White Chocolate debuted on Tuesday, and will be on regular rotation from now on, Mr Lee said.

“It was the biggest screw you we could think of,” he said.

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And the couple said the response from the community and neighbouring businesses, who rallied around them after they posted a photo of the appalling note online was “heartwarming and beautiful”.

The extremely offensive letter was aimed at Ms Ng and some of the staff members at Paradise Gelato in Cheltenham.

It read “Asian Gelato, No way, go back to where you came from slopeheads.”

“I was in shock,” Mr Lee said.

Paradise Gelato responded on their Facebook page, describing the perpetrator as a “racist coward” and then defended their Asian workers, pointing out one speaks seven languages and the other wants to teach English in Japan.

Matcha white chocolate FB post

This is the young couple’s first business and they described the response from the local community and other businesses as “crazy”

“We’re so grateful to everyone getting behind us. It’s been really emotional,” Mr Lee said.

“People have been stopping by our door shouting in their support to us.”

Among the well wishes, Paradise Gelato has received cards and flowers, and local businesses have offered their CCTV footage of the incident to assist the police investigation.

Mr Lee also described a man from the local Indian restaurant calling up and offering his presence should Ms Ng ever feel threatened or unsafe.

“Our priority now is not to escalate it and to make sure our staff members feel comfortable and safe,” Mr Lee said.

They also donated 10 per cent of their earnings — $100 — on Tuesday to the anti-bullying charity Bully Zero.

Mr Lee is an Englishman and has been living in Australia for 8 years while Ms Ng is Malaysian and has lived in Australia for 15 years.

They are now engaged and planning on marrying next year.

“We do know there will be dessert at the wedding and it will be gelato!” Mr Lee said.

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