Isis Bookstore Changes Sign After Being Vandalized

A Colorado bookstore named Isis is changing its sign and branding after a string of vandalism against the spiritual bookshop, which now shares its moniker with the Islamist terror group ISIS.

The store posted pictures of a shattered sign to the bookstore’s Facebook page in November, calling it “just one of the many incidents of harassment we have experienced,” and encouraged customers not to use the term “ISIS” to refer to the militants. Though owner Karen Charboneau-Harrison chose the name based on Egyptian goddess of family, magic and healing when it opened 35 years ago, it has since taken on a more unfortunate connotation.

“Please help us to educate the media and your family and friends to call the terrorists by a more correct name – Daesh – not Islamic State, not ISIS, not ISIL,” the post read. “They hate the term ‘Daesh’ and have threatened to cut out the tongue of anyone who uses it.”

On Dec. 30, Charboneau-Harrison posted to the store’s Facebook page that she decided to change the signage in hopes of curbing such attacks. But the bookstore will not change its name.

“We have changed our sign to a gorgeous one with a huge image of Isis and her most honorific title: Goddess of 10,0000 Names,” Charboneau-Harrison said. “You know who Goddess of 10,000 Names is, but we are deflecting the attention of folks who flunked their 6th grade basic mythology class (and have anger issues) away from us and our signage.”