Small business owners speak out amid riot destruction: ‘We’re just afraid’
'I want to hear an end to violence,' Kenosha business owner Lyna Postuchow said
Small businesses in America’s cities are under attack from riots and violent protests and business owners are asking when will the destruction end.
Both Subway Franchise owner Stacey Gibson from Portland, Oregon and A Summer’s Garden Florist owner Lyna Postuchow from Kenosha, Wisconsin had their shops broken into, telling Fox News’ “America’s News Headquarters” that there needs to be change.
“Action is what we’re looking for here,” Gibson said. “The violence has been going on for an incredible amount of time now, over 90 days. Businesses are fleeing. We’re just afraid at this point.”
KENOSHA MAN HAS MESSAGE FOR RIOTERS WHO BURNED DOWN HIS FAMILY STORE
Gibson said the Portland Police Department is being held back from protecting the public during riots and told Gibson, after her store was robbed, that their hands are tied.
A protester carries a U.S. flag upside down, a sign of distress, next to a burning building, Thursday, May 28, 2020, in Minneapolis during protests over the death of George Floyd. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File)
Meanwhile, the National Guard has been sent out to protect the city of Kenosha where Postuchow said she’s reopened her store and feels safe to continue doing business.
“We’re trying to still serve the community,” she said. “We have lots of different agencies helping the city. We’re thankful for that. We are boarded up. We have no windows. So we’ll be boarded up for a while until all that’s replaced.”
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Postuchow said rioters smashed in the windows to her storefront without any rhyme or reason, solely because they “were just there.” President Trump is set to visit Kenosha on Tuesday and Postuchow said she hopes he discusses putting an end to the suffering.
“I want to hear an end to the violence,” she said. “I want to hear positive things from him. This is a wonderful city, a wonderful country and we need to find the positivity in all of our lives so that we can all move forward.”
Gibson said the impact of the riots and the coronavirus pandemic has cut business in half since February at her downtown location.