A Facebook post claiming EpiCentre’s Kandy Bar inappropriately turned away black people has gone viral

[Related: NOW OPEN: Kandy Bar brings dessert and big city vibe to the EpiCentre]

But the club is now under pressure after a Facebook post claimed bouncers admitted a group of white people who weren’t members after denying a group of black non-members.

In the Facebook post, which now has over 43,000 shares, Ashley Ellis Sisco wrote that when she and a group of friends showed up on Saturday night with eight friends (eight women and one man, all of whom are African American), they were told that “they could not enter because [they] were not members” and asked to leave.

When Sisco turned to “the group of white girls” in line behind her, they told her that no, “you don’t need a membership to get in.”

Determined to see if this was indeed the case, Sisco stayed behind to watch for “several minutes” as “every black person” in line was turned away and Caucasians were continued to be let in. She says she’s been left “heartbroken, angry, pissed” and “mad as hell” by the experience.

The post is completed by a video, which has over 1.5 million views, of an African American man, dressed in yellow pants, is turned away. Watch.

Kandy Bar has acknowledged the accusations but denied that race played a part in any of the bouncer’s decisions that night, and that membership is indeed a necessity to get through the doors.

“Everyone needs a membership,” they wrote on Twitter. “Look at the policy on our website.”

They’re right. Per North Carolina alcohol laws, any private club is required to charge all guests a membership fee and distribute membership cards.

And Kandy Bar is, in fact, a private club that requires a valid membership ID to enter. Each membership costs $1 and according to a patron, are available at the front desk.

[Related: Here’s why you have to buy a private club membership at VBGB and Thomas Street Tavern]

The club also cites their dress code as a reason black patrons were turned away.

“We have a highly trained staff and ZERO tolerance policy against discrimination or racism. This video is a dress code issue,” they tweeted in response to a call for boycotting the establishment that drew on separating colors only on laundry day.

The dress code is stated as follows: “Fashion forward attire. No athletic gear of any sort, no baggy clothing, no tank tops, no athletic hats, chains or excessive jewelry, sunglasses, no sneakers or work boots.”

The man turned away from the door in the video, in his “casual pants and Jordans,” as described by the club on Twitter, broke that code.

In an action that seems like an attempt to prove that the African Americans turned away that night really were underdressed, they’ve tweeted a series of photos taken of groups of African Americans inside and having a good time.

African Americans are also coming to the club’s defense online, saying that they have been more than once and “always have a good time” thanks to a staff that was “always nice/let us in” and didn’t ask them to pay after they realized that they left their membership card at home.

Kandy Bar does state that they reserve the right to refuse service to anyone, regardless of reason. Despite it going viral overnight and the club making their Instagram private, representatives for the club refused to comment on the matter to the Agenda on Monday. Management has issued a statement on Facebook that speaks to their “zero tolerance for discrimination” and stands by the fact that those turned away “did not meet the dress code.”

We’ll keep you posted as this unfolds.