A series of burglaries targeting Black-owned businesses in St. Louis is creating concern and frustration among business owners, customers, and the community. The increase in these incidents has impacted both the morale and economic stability of these small businesses, which are essential to their neighborhoods. The community is now calling for an end to the destruction of local establishments, which they argue is weakening the very fabric of the neighborhood.
String of Burglaries Causes Heartbreak for Business Owners
One of the affected businesses is It Tastes Barbecue, a Black-owned restaurant located in St. Louis. The restaurant’s owner expressed her heartbreak upon discovering that her business had been burglarized earlier in the week. On Tuesday morning, she found her restaurant’s front door broken, which prompted her to secure the entrance with a chain. The incident left her shaken, as her business had been providing a valuable service to the community, but it now faced significant damage. She, like many other business owners, feels overwhelmed by the constant attacks on Black-owned businesses in the area.
Across the city in Jennings, another Black-owned business, Lillian Market, was also burglarized in a more aggressive manner. Surveillance footage showed a group of suspects repeatedly backing their minivan into the shop’s wall, causing extensive structural damage. The business quickly worked to repair the damage, but the owner is left wondering how much longer they can endure such attacks. These brazen burglaries are not only costly but also discouraging for business owners who are trying to survive amidst an already tough economic environment.
More Businesses Suffer in the Wake of These Crimes
Pineapple Teas, a newly opened Black-owned business on North Sarah Street, was another target in the wave of burglaries. The shop had its front door smashed early Wednesday, but the owners managed to reopen by Thursday with plywood covering the damaged entrance. The attack on Pineapple Teas is just one of many recent burglaries, causing both financial setbacks and emotional distress for those who have invested in their community. Despite these challenges, the owners have shown resilience in their efforts to keep their doors open, but the ongoing threat of crime looms over them.
One more business that was hit hard by these break-ins is Do Girl Fresh Boutique, located on Natural Bridge in North St. Louis. The shop was broken into last month, leaving its windows and doors shattered. The thieves pushed through security bars, damaging the shop’s interior and stealing valuable merchandise. The owner, Aimee Cheney, arrived at her store to find it ransacked, a devastating discovery that came on the heels of a previous burglary at her other shop on West Florissant earlier this year.
Community Calls for Change
Cheney, like other business owners, suspects that young individuals in the community are behind many of these break-ins. She believes that these repeated burglaries are not only hurting individual business owners but also contributing to the overall decay of the community. Black-owned businesses are pillars of the neighborhoods they serve, often providing essential services, products, and job opportunities. When these businesses are forced to close or are financially strained due to break-ins, the entire community suffers.
Many owners are questioning how much more they can endure, with some contemplating whether they should remain in business at all. These businesses have already faced economic hardships due to the pandemic and other market conditions, and the additional burden of property damage and theft may push some owners to the brink of closing permanently.
Cheney expressed frustration, hoping that the individuals behind these crimes realize the damage they are causing to their own community. She emphasized that these businesses not only provide goods and services but also offer support to the local economy. By attacking their own community’s businesses, the perpetrators are diminishing the potential for growth and prosperity in their neighborhoods.
Urgent Need for Community Support
The series of break-ins highlights the need for a stronger response from both the community and law enforcement. While some repairs are quickly made, the emotional toll on business owners is harder to fix. Local business owners are appealing to the young people in the community to stop targeting their own neighborhood, urging them to understand that their actions are creating long-lasting harm.
The business owners, many of whom have been in operation for years, hope that community members will rally around them and offer support during this difficult time. They also hope that authorities will take the necessary steps to prevent future attacks and hold those responsible accountable for their actions. While the future remains uncertain for these Black-owned businesses, their resilience and commitment to their community are clear, as they work to recover and continue serving their neighborhoods.
As the wave of burglaries continues, many in St. Louis are left asking the same question: how long can these small businesses survive under such relentless attacks?
