The alleged burning of a bartender’s sweatshirt has caused one of the restaurant’s co-owners to step aside from the business and the Village of Sister Bay Board.
According to reporting by Wisconsin Right Now, Husby’s Food & Spirits co-owner Chad Kodanko allegedly burned a sweatshirt worn and later left at the business by bartender Robert Meredith. The sweatshirt reportedly had the word "freedom" on one side and bore the name of Charlie Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, who was assassinated earlier this year at a college event in Utah.
The incident allegedly took place in front of other employees, with Wisconsin Right Now reporting that the incident became “an inside joke” among some staff members and caused Meredith to be distressed. Text messages shared online show Kodanko apologized for burning the sweatshirt but did not apologize for the message sent to staff.
“Charlie Kirk was a bigot and a racist,” Kodanko wrote in the text. “There is no place for that at Husby’s. We are inclusive, and the presence of that sweatshirt was offensive to many staff members.”
On Saturday afternoon, Kodanko, who also serves as a trustee on the Sister Bay Village Board, announced he was stepping away from the business and all its affairs, effective immediately, in a post on the bar’s Facebook page.
“First and foremost, I want to apologize for my inappropriate behavior and for all of the damage it has caused to the employees, the community, our patrons and my business partners,” Kodanko wrote. “My goal has never been to divide people, and my actions did that. Due to threats of violence toward our employees and myself, effective immediately, I am stepping away from the business and all of its affairs.”
Early Monday afternoon, the Village of Sister Bay issued a Notice of Resignation from Kodanko.
The incident has drawn criticism from conservatives across the state, including Wisconsin U.S. Reps. Tony Wied and Tom Tiffany. Wied, who represents Door County, wrote that “the left’s unhinged hatred for conservatives has completely broken them.” Tiffany, who is running for governor, wrote, “This is not Wisconsin values. We are better than this.”
This type of disgusting behavior has no place in Northeast Wisconsin or anywhere else in America.
— Rep. Tony Wied (@RepTonyWied) December 27, 2025
The left's unhinged hatred for conservatives has completely broken them. https://t.co/9cgp4AHWCa
Contrary to prior reporting, the Door County Sheriff’s Department is not investigating the incident, citing the need for additional information according to a release from the Sheriff's Department.
UPDATE: The other owners of Husby's issued an additional statement
