Judge rules black church is landlord of KKK store

A store in South Carolina that sells Ku Klux Klan paraphernalia isn't backing down after the pastor of an African American church that owns the building promised the business would "come to an end."

The Associated Press reported Tuesday that a judge found the New Beginnings Baptist Church to be the rightful owner of the Redneck Shop in Laurens.

In 1997, Klan infighting led to the store being sold to New Beginnings, but store proprietor John Howard, a former KKK grand dragon for the Carolinas, allegedly has lifetime rights to operate the business, according to a clause in the deed.

While Reverend David Kennedy has not revealed his plans for the building, he did tell WSPA on Tuesday that there would be "[no] more Redneck Shop."

"That day has come to an end," he explained. "It's sad that in 2011 we are still confronted with this kind of thing."

Reached for comment Wednesday, Howard told Raw Story that he and his store weren't going anywhere.

"I can stay in the building as long as I live," he insisted. "So, I'm not planning on going away anytime soon. ... You got a black-ass damn nigger that thinks he owns something, and he don't own a damn thing and he's a troublemaker."

"And he claims to be a landlord and he's fixin' to get a damn list of stuff that needs to be done to that building. And he better get to work on it or I'll sue the hell out of him!"

Watch this video from WSPA, broadcast Jan. 3, 2011.