Boycotts Don't Work in Brooklyn

Apparently, if you want people to buy a product all you have to do is boycott it in Brooklyn. A little reverse psychology, anyone?

That's what happened earlier this week when local Jewish leaders and anti-Israel protesters came face-to-face outside the offbeat cosmetic shop Rick's on Montague Street. It all came down to whether or not the store should continue selling lotions made in the West Bank.

There was plenty of yelling and this isn't the first time Ricky's has been the center of such attention. Back in July the store was in the middle of another protest.

What's the entire hullabaloo about? Ricky's is known to sell Ahava, an Israeli-manufactured cosmetic. Angry protestors claim that doing so supports Israel's occupation and terror over Palestine since the product is made with mud and salts from the Dead Sea.

The protest didn't seem to stop shoppers and in some cases, even boosts sales. In fact, Ricky's tends to sell out of the brand whenever there is a protest.

Source - The Brooklyn Paper, "Boycott turns into 'buycott' for West Bank lotions"