Marcus Lemonis could have taken the flags down. Instead, he shut the store down.
The Camping World CEO announced he was closing one of his Greenville, North Carolina dealerships after a months-long fight with city officials over massive American flags flying outside his business. Rather than remove the flags to comply with local codes, Lemonis chose to close the store and stand by what he calls a “love letter” to the country that gave him a future.
The controversy began when Camping World raised flags nearly 15 times larger than Greenville’s city ordinance allows. Local rules limit flag poles to 70 feet; Lemonis installed 120-foot poles with flags spanning nearly 3,200 square feet. Officials insisted the issue wasn’t about patriotism but about safety, traffic concerns, and code compliance. Greenville even hired outside legal counsel and moved to sue Camping World earlier this year.
But Lemonis refused to back down. “Not when they sue, not when I lose, not if they take me to jail — the flag is not coming down,” he told WITN.
Facing growing fines and public battles, Lemonis finally closed Camping World’s Forest River RV dealership on Greenville Boulevard. Speaking to local radio station WTIB, he said the city’s pressure campaign had “uniquely impacted” the store’s business. “We think the ordinance is wrong,” Lemonis said. “I think it’s also wrong council members have been working very actively to disparage my business.”
The other Camping World location in Greenville remains open, and the flags there are still flying high.
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For Lemonis, who was born in Beirut, Lebanon, and adopted into a family in Miami, the American flag carries deep personal meaning. “I emigrated from Beirut, Lebanon. Came here to Miami, Florida, and had an opportunity to live the American dream,” he said. “It’s my love letter to tell everybody how grateful I am this country provided me an opportunity where it didn’t have to.”
Veterans and employees at Camping World have rallied behind Lemonis, appearing in videos praising the flags and the company’s patriotism. “I stand over the bay every morning and look at the flag waving,” said technician Michael Monday, a U.S. Army veteran. “It just makes me proud to work here.”
The flag fight isn’t limited to North Carolina. Camping World is also battling a similar lawsuit in Sevierville, Tennessee, where local officials say a 130-foot flagpole violates zoning laws. City leaders there stress that they support patriotism but argue that oversized structures could distract drivers and impact scenic views.
Despite the growing legal challenges, Lemonis has made his position clear. He recently shared a video montage of the flags and veterans with a pointed caption: #NeverComingDown.
For Marcus Lemonis, the flags aren’t just banners on a pole. They are a living testament to the ideals that gave him a second chance. And even if it costs him a store, he’s determined that the symbol flying above it will never be lowered.
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