Max Konnor Claims NY Retail Store Kicked Him Out Due to Race

LOS ANGELES—Adult star Max Konnor, a 2019 nominee for GayVN Performer of the Year, on Saturday claimed he was a target of racial profiling when he was asked to leave a retail store in New York City. Konnor and a friend went shopping at The Leather Man at 111 Christopher Street, hoping to purchase his outfit for the 2019 GayVN Awards on January 21 at Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas. But after consulting with the leather maker and being advised the store would not be able to order the specific items he wanted, Konnor claims the Caucasian store owner rushed he and his friend out the door and then locked it—when he was trying to call for a car service and planning to leave anyway. “I went back upstairs because the leather shop is downstairs and the owner comes up to us and says, ‘Guys, we don’t have time to watch customers who aren’t buying anything,’” Konnor told AVN. “Then he stood there looking at us for like a minute and basically went in for the kill. He didn’t care what we had to say. “We were the only African Americans in the store. He told us he didn’t have time to watch us—well no one asked you to watch us. We came in for a specific reason. It was the way that he approached us. After we left, the other patrons left, too.” Konnor added, “It’s horrible. I’ve never felt like this in my life. I’m literally still shaking.” He tweeted his disgust minutes after leaving. “Guys, I just experienced racism full force,” Konnor said via his Twitter @maxkonnorxxx. “The owner of @LeatherManNYC just kicked me out after coming in trying to get an outfit made for the @GayVN awards. Please let them know that this behavior will not stand. Do not support this company. Send them a message.” Konnor also expressed his feelings in a video. “Racism. I just basically got kicked out of a store because of the color of my skin. If you guys ever come to New York or if you frequent this place, please let them know how you feel,” he said in the video message to his followers. Konnor also said one of The Leather Man employees came outside after them and apologized to him for the owner’s tone. "They locked the door after they kicked us out and the patrons that followed. And he unlocked it to come out and talked to us and then went back in and locked it again," Konnor noted. According to the hours posted online, the store closes at 8 p.m. EST. The veteran performer said Saturday was his first and last time going to the store. “My friend who went with me sketched out the design for my outfit and he suggested we go there,” Konnor said. A representative of The Leather Man told AVN he was not aware of what Konnor claims happened. “I don’t know anything about that,” the employee said.