The Decatur Book Festival has cut ties with Kiss and Tale Romance Bookshop after a Black attendee described being ignored by the store’s staff during the Oct. 2-3 festival in downtown Decatur. The attendee, an Atlanta resident who uses the name Rache and declined to share her last name, posted on Threads on Saturday that employees “spoke and acknowledged everyone but the Black shoppers.” She said she observed what she considered a pattern of staff interacting differently with Black customers. A festival representative confirmed Monday that Kiss and Tale would not be invited to future events. The festival said it had not previously received complaints about the bookseller and that organizers did not contact the store directly before making the decision. Kiss and Tale said Tuesday that it had no intention of ignoring customers. The shop said staff were managing a busy line and checking out shoppers, but acknowledged that they may have failed to greet people as expected. It added that it takes the concerns seriously and aims to create an inclusive, respectful environment for readers of all backgrounds. Rache said the experience felt deliberate and left her feeling invisible. She also said she noticed an employee disregard another Black customer before her own interaction. The Decatur Book Festival, which began in 2006, is a major literary event in the Southeast. Its decision comes as festivals and other public events face pressure to ensure vendors treat attendees equitably and to respond to concerns from the communities they serve.