A Saudi Arabian coffee shop named after Hollywood legend Marilyn Monroe has been forced to close down after an online campaign, according to Arabic news website Sabq.
Families in Al Jouf province were upset at the reference to the late actress, who became a sex symbol during the 1950s until her death in 1962.
They launched a campaign on social media websites calling for a boycott of the shop, called Marlene Monroe, and criticising management Jouf Plaza Mall, where the shop was located.
The mall manager, Meflah Al Klaid told Sabq he was “surprised” by the shop’s name and had sealed it off.
“The shop was rented by an entrepreneur who did not brief us on the name or discuss it with us,” he said.
The mall’s owner said the shop name clashed with the city’s social values.
“The shop will not be allowed to re-open until it complies with the regulations,” the company said.
The Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Violence – which polices religious related offences – said it was not aware of the issue and had not received any complaints.
However, the Marilyn Monroe shop is not the only retail outlet in Saudi Arabia to carry the name of a female US celebrity synonymous with sex.
Hotel heiress Paris Hilton also has five stores of her handbags and accessories franchise in the staunchly Islamic country, including one in the holy city of Makkah.
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