Back to my original point. Stew expressed his opinion of the "Arepa Lady" and other neighborhood food establishments. Many on this list disagree and take umbrage at the directness of his words.
Does it naturally follow that he's a terrible human being whose business deserves to fail miserably?
I don't know Stew and I have never eaten the Arepa Lady's fare because I'm not a big fan of arepas. I still, at this advanced age, get surprised at how quickly anger and ill will arise in human hearts over seemingly insignificant things.
That is just part of it. The entire time he has been condescending and this was the straw that broke the camel's back.
Spewing negativity about places in the very same neighborhood you are opening a restaurant in is no way to gain rapport with the community, especially in a thread that has nothing to do with your place.
It is not insignificant in the slightest. Demeaning potential customers by saying "perhaps you should eat somewhere else" and attacking restaurants that they may enjoy is not a smart way to build support. It sounds absurd as I type this, as restaurants are generally unsuccessful and you are already wiping out business before you had the chance to show what your place is all about, not to mention the word of mouth that already has and will spread. It is truly BAFFLING.
If he had approached his venture from the start in a positive way by showing some humility and not bashing establishments that many have come to know and enjoy, this would not be an issue.