Responding to an uptick in small business break-ins, Mayor Quinton Lucas is proposing a fund to help owners get back on their feet.
Last week, Lucas spoke at City Barrel Pizza + Patio, a Brookside restaurant broken into on Labor Day, to propose the “Back to Business Fund.” The fund would give small businesses the opportunity to apply for as much as $3,000 to help with repairs caused from vandals or burglars and up to $5,000 for security investments, such as locks and cameras.
“We think that this is a step in the right direction,” says Lucas. “It is giving some relief, but we recognize that it cannot give total relief.”
Lucas estimates the fund should be able to help 100 to 150 businesses. The City Council will vote on the proposal at its Sept. 19 meeting.
YUM Bakery, Mother Earth Coffee, The Campground, Donutology and Enzo are just a few of the spots hit by burglers since Labor Day. Mildred’s in the Crossroads was also broken into, just weeks after their downtown location was hit.
Mildred’s owner Evan Ashby asked an artist employee to draw something “cheeky” on the boarded door after the first break-in. The result was a masked sandwich with the caption “Burglars get knuckle sandwiches!”
To match, Mildred’s Crossroads location’s boarded door says, “Our glass might be broken, but our coffee is strong.”
Both Mildred’s locations are up and running.
