Dominique Nicole met up with a friend for brunch at Baboush in Dallas on June 18th, and was asked to leave the restaurant before being served. According to NBCDFW, the restaurant's manager asked Nicole to exit the establishment because he thought that her shorts were "too short." Nicole explained that the man was "really rude, aggressive, and disrespectful," and that he refused to serve her and her friend inside.
“My bottom was covered, no cheeks were out. I had like a sleeveless tan top on and my stomach wasn’t showing. I had on some heels a hat and a purse that was it like normal Texas summer attire. Nothing disrespectful, nothing tasteless, I mean, I don't know, I just couldn’t believe he denied us service because of his discretion of what I had on was inappropriate to eat inside his establishment."
Video footage captured by Nicole's friend, Josh Drake, shows multiple restaurant patrons wearing shorts due to the fact that it was very hot that day. Nicole believes that the disturbing incident occurred for reasons much deeper than clothing.
"There were other patrons eating and of course we were the only people of color, he chose to deny us. There were two other women, not Black, who had on shorts just as short as mine or similar. One had on flip flops had one had tennis shoes on, they were in there dining like normal."
As the two friends walked out of the restaurant, Drake let the other customers know that they were not exiting on their own free will, rather; they were being forced out.
"I decided to let all the patrons know that we were being asked to leave because of her shorts, that’s why I made the outburst that I did. I just needed them to know the type of place they were supporting at the time." The door was locked behind them as they walked out of the restaurant, and Drake's bag was thrown on a table outside. The next day, Nicole and Drake shared the video to Instagram to show the world how unfairly they were treated. The restaurant posted an apology, but did not reach out to Nicole and Drake directly.