By: Liz Farmer

Rule No. 1 for business owners: don’t insult your customers.

A Maryland native who operates a piano bar in Indianapolis might have done well to heed that advice. But, alas, reading this article posted on an Indianapolis news station’s Web site only got more painful by the line.

According to the story, Mike Augustinos, general manager of Howl At The Moon, posted an online invitation for visiting Ravens fans to come tailgate at his place on Saturday.

OK, harmless. But not the part that came next:

“It sucks living in Colts country but I AM A DIEHARD RAVENS fan,” Augustinos wrote. “The good thing is I am the boss! For anyone that has never been to Indianapolis, their tailgating is horrible. There are no big parking lots anywhere. Everyone always goes out to the bars.”

Oh no, he didn’t!

Howl At the Moon posted an apology the next day but the damage has already been done. A Facebook group formed to boycott Howl At the Moon Indy has more than 3,100 members as of Friday morning. According to an Indy radio station, Augustinos is now getting threats and police were stationed at his restaurant yesterday.

I guess it doesn’t matter how purple your blood runs, when in Rome…sit down and shut up. Hopefully, lesson learned for Augustinos.