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Fu King Smoke Shop on Main Street in Hackensack.

(Myles Ma/NJ.com)

HACKENSACK — The Fu King Smoke Shop on Main Street is keeping its name.

But owner Robert Reichert told NJ.com he would change the sign to spread the two words apart more.

Residents took offense when the shop first appeared. They said it was a thinly veiled profanity that didn't belong in their neighborhood.

Reichert explaned that "Fu" is Chinese for wealthy or lucky.

Reichert had to reapply for a sign permit for the city, which said he didn't have one, but he was allowed to keep the name. Laura Hirsch, an attorney for the zoning board, told the Record many restaurants use the same name.

The new sign should go up within two weeks, Reichert said.

"It's still going to say Fu King," he said. "I'm just going to spread it out a little bit more so there's no room for misinterpretation."

Fu King opened for business Feb. 1. Customer feedback has been positive, Reichert said.

Many people had the wrong idea about his store, he said.

"They were under the impression that we were out there pushing cigarettes on kids and that's not the case," Reichert said.

He denied that he catered to marijuana users.

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"We sell tobacco and tobacco accessories," he said.

Reichert wants to put the sign issue behind him. Complaints about his store drew widespread media attention to his 300 square foot shop.

"Zoning wasn't an issue, what we were selling wasn't an issue," Reichert said. "I think it became more of a neighborhood issue."