SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- Beloved Bay Area coffee chain Philz Coffee has mandated that Pride flags be removed from all locations. Earlier this week, an online petition started by Philz baristas surfaced, claiming that the coffee chain's corporate office had ordered the removal of the flags. Born in t he Bay Area, the Pride flag has represented the LGBTQ+ community for decades, symbolizing inclusion and creating a welcoming space for members of the community. Car crashes into longtime Vietnamese restaurant in Oakland: ‘We are shaken’ "The pride flags within the stores hold deep meaning and value to both staff and visitors, symbolizing that these locations are safe and welcoming spaces for all individuals, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity," read the petition, which has gathered over 2,600 signatures. In a statement to KRON4, Philz Coffee CEO Mahesh Sadarangani confirmed that the flags would no longer be displayed at locations of the popular chain. Removing the flags from the stores, Sadarangani said, was part of an effort to create "a more consistent, inclusive experience across all our stores." Despite the removal of the flags, Sadarangani maintained that Philz' "longstanding support of the LGBTQIA+ community is unchanged." "Our allyship runs deeper than what is on our walls," the CEO continued. "It shows up in who we hire, how we treat one another and in our annual Pride Month Unity celebration, which returns this June as it has every year." However, Philz customers that KRON4 spoke to were critical of the move. "It would be a huge mistake because the gay population won't stand for it," one customer said. "We will boycott this place if that's the case." Sadarangani became CEO of Philz in 2021, taking over from the company's co-founder, Jacob Jaber. Last year, the company, which was founded in SF's Mission District in 2003, was taken over by Freeman Spogli Co., a private equity firm that also owns El Pollo Loco. Close-up of coffee bags with logo at Philz Coffee, a popular California-based pour over artisan coffee chain in the Gourmet Ghetto (North Shattuck) neighborhood of Berkeley, California, October 6, 2017. (Photo by Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images) The timeframe for the removal of the Pride flags is not exactly clear. At a Philz location in downtown San Francisco, an employee told KRON4 the flags were taken down temporarily during painting. At another location, employees said they had not yet been asked to remove the flags. Read Sadarangani's statement in full: "At Philz, we have always believed everyone who walks through our doors deserves to feel welcome and safe, and that belief is at the core of everything we do. Our longstanding support of the LGBTQIA+ community is unchanged. We are working toward creating a more consistent, inclusive experience across all our stores, including removing a variety of flags and other decor. This is a change in how our stores look, not in who we are. Our allyship runs deeper than what is on our walls. It shows up in who we hire, how we treat one another and in our annual Pride Month Unity celebration, which returns this June as it has every year. Unity is fundamental to how we operate." ...read more read less