BBQ restaurant takes heat over controversial "LGBTQ" t-shirts

WILLIAMSTOWN, Ky. (WSET) -- A BBQ restaurant in Kentucky is facing backlash for using the acronym "LGBTQ" in a non-traditional way.

The letters don't stand for what they usually do.

Belles Smoking BBQ is based in Williamstown but Jamie Smith, the owner, takes it all over the state bringing his food to crowds.

He posted the shirt on social media last week and it "blew up."

The shirt had "I support" and then acronym LGBTQ spell out "Liberty, Guns, Bible, Trump, BBQ".

The post quickly went viral with many people sending messages of their own like: "Simple bigotry. Sad commentary for business. Good luck going broke."

Smith took down the message and replaced it with a statement, saying in part: "We apologize if we have offended any groups of people, organizations, or individuals with our shirts. We respect all beliefs and lifestyles and want no ill will towards anyone."

"At the end of the day, we have to stand for what we believe in and like I said if I offended anyone that wasn't our intention but it was just a play on words," Smith told WXIX.

After issuing the apology, the restaurant is still selling the shirts.