Nordstrom is facing allegations that a manager racially profiled a black luxury brand founder during a confrontation at an Arizona store — a dispute that could now spill into a civil-rights case as a key filing deadline looms.
Charles Sowell Kellam, founder of luxury brand Fruitful Rooster, claims a Nordstrom manager followed, confronted and humiliated him at Scottsdale Fashion Square on earlier this year while he was accompanied by his German Shepherd, Ruby, which he says is a trained service animal.
Kellam alleges he was singled out because he is black.
The March 21 confrontation eventually drew mall security and spilled into the mall concourse, where bystanders recorded portions of the incident, according to Atlanta Black Star.
It is unclear whether race motivated the manager’s actions as a key factual dispute centers on whether Kellam’s dog was properly leashed.
Atlanta Black Star reported that Ruby was a “leashed, trained” service animal, while Woods also said the dog was properly leashed.
Kellam, however, recounted the manager telling him that next time he should “bring a leash” — suggesting Nordstrom personnel may have believed the dog was not properly restrained.
Arizona state law and federal rules governing service animals generally require pooches to be harnessed, leashed or tethered unless doing so would interfere with the animal’s work or the handler’s disability.
Kellam has said the manager monitored him while he was at Nordstrom’s E-Bar preparing for an upcoming government contract meeting, accused him of violating store rules and told him not to return.
He says security was then summoned.
Kellam went public with his allegations in June, posting video and accusing Nordstrom of profiling and stalking him.
A day later, he launched a GoFundMe campaign tied to the incident and his goal of opening a brick-and-mortar location for Fruitful Rooster.
He had only raised over $800 toward a $30,000 goal as of Wednesday.
His attorney Sean Woods formally requested Nordstrom’s surveillance footage, according to the Atlanta Black Star. The complete store and mall surveillance has not been made public.
Kellam has said he escalated his complaint to Nordstrom’s corporate leadership and later participated with Woods in a roughly 25-minute call with a company rep.
According to Kellam’s account, Nordstrom treated the encounter as an isolated misunderstanding rather than acknowledging discrimination.
No company correspondence or internal investigative findings have been made public.
Kellam is also running up against a Wednesday deadline to file a racial discrimination complaint with Arizona officials.
The March 21 encounter happened nearly six months ago, and state law gives complainants 180 days to file.
If a violation is established, Arizona law can allow compensatory damages, including for emotional distress, along with injunctive relief, costs and attorneys’ fees.
The Post has sought comment from Kellam, his attorney, Maddox and Nordstrom.
