Posted on 11/28/2014 1:17:57 PM PST by SeekAndFind
It will be a quiet Black Friday on Ferguson's West Florissant Avenue. The modest commercial strip that runs through the heart of the embattled city has been devastated by rioting and looting. Now, a haze of doubt hangs over many workers and merchants there who wonder whether their businesses can survive the terrible toll — and the fear of possible uprisings to come.
Some retailers, like Mohamad Yaacoub, have been slammed twice by violence. His store, Sam's Meat Market, was looted in August after unarmed, 18-year-old Michael Brown was fatally shot by Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson. On Monday night, arsonists nearly burned that market to the ground.
"To be honest with you, I'm lost now," Yaacoub told NBC News after touring the charred shell that once was Sam's. The exterior brick walls are the only salvageable chunks. The roof is gone. "I'm not sure money-wise. Money-wise, it's just too hard.
"I had to borrow $700 to buy some wood, just to put the boards together to close up where (the rioters) came in from, to close the building. It's just too much, you know," added Yaacoub, who carries insurance coverage for fire damage but isn't certain when or how much he might be paid to begin a rebuild. A friend launched a fund to help pay for the market's restoration.
At a strip mall two doors down from the remnants of Sam's, looters smashed the glass at the Clip Appeal salon then hurled a Molotov cocktail inside. Two local men grabbed plastic water bottles and dashed inside the shop to try to douse the flames, said Leeanna Moore, a 22-year employee.
While Moore cheered those heroics, she admitted she hasn't decided if she will ever return to work at the salon, which also carries insurance.
(Excerpt) Read more at nbcnews.com ...
In a few years, we may hear complaints from the locals that businesses have abandoned their community.
Wonder why? [/s]
How many of those 40-some, per FoxNews, businesses that were vandalized or burned down will want to rebuild in that area?
The business property insurance rates for next year are going to be sky high, thanks to the vandals and protesters.
Ripple, anyone?
Why would any business want to locate in that ghetto? I would let them do without. They made this mess; they will have to live with it. I do feel sorry for the business owners but if I were them I would just cut my losses and move out.
As a business, one question is if the insurance companies will even give you a rate in this high crime area.
Al Sharpton was responsible for part of New York Harlem burning. At least 5 people died in Freddies fashion mart fire. Where Sharpton goes misery follow.
I agree I think there is no question it would be a poor business choice of venue to build or rebuild in.
The protestors cried, ‘’No Justice, No Peace!’’ But where is the justice for the innocent people whose businesses were destroyed by mobs?
Mr. Yaacoob should put up a sign in the remains of his store: ‘’No Justice, No Meat!’’
The percentage of the Ferguson community who actually looted and rioted is, of course, miniscule.
It's all other law-abiding, normal people, black and white, and whoever else, that will pay the price for the savages in their midst.
I would not open or re-open a business there.
It is lost cause financially plus dangerous.
I think your predictions are spot on, with one exception.
I don’t think it will take five years. Three years at most.
After that, nail salons, liquor stores, and small markets that don’t sell fresh fruit and vegetables.
There were enough black locals in those mobs to stop the feral animals from looting and burning their own town if they had wanted to.
But they ignored the anarchy, preoccupied with their blind racist hatred, while their own kids burned out their neighbors stores and businesses.
Now they will be whining that somehow the hated white racists are responsible for the fact their town is a burned out husk and they have no local markets, stores, gas stations, etc.
There is also a “civil unrest” provision in many insurance policies cancelling same when riots happen.
Fergadishu .... perfect.
I’m stealing that from you.
Before you start feeling too sorry for these peps... you need to know if they have REALLY learned their lesson!
what are their feelings about Mike Brown?
are they still glad they voted for Obama?
how likely are they to vote Democratic in the future?
“4. Insurance companies may not offer coverage to protect investment”
The operative word her isn’t “may, it’s “will.” The worst part of it, if it’s leased space is that the landlord “may” be paid for the loss of his building, but thanks to these black a$$holes, all he will have left is a relatively worthless piece of land. So he’s essentially lost his investment minus whatever he gets for the burned out building.
I agree with that, with one exception.
I’m not convinced the people of Ferguson burnt those businesses down.
If they did, then you are right. If they didn’t, I wish the homes of the perps would be burnt down.
Not RIP, BIH
The other day Fox interviewed the woman whose bakery was looted. A campaign was started online to raise some money to help her rebuild. It was over 100k at the time of the interview. What bothered me was she had no visible contempt, outrage etc for the looters. When asked how she felt about a chair being thrown through her store window she mentioned asking looters not to attack her business. Granted, she probably doesn’t want retaliation, but still it bothered me that she wasn’t pissed off. Not even some blame at Obama who should be personally footing the bill to rebuild. It’s rewarding savage behavior.
As mean as it may sound, any business that re-opens in that area deserves anything they get after that. Only a fool would want to stay and try to do business in that area.
Apparently, there are no grocery stores in Detroit. The riot, theft, and tax problem drove them all away. (Likewise, there are almost no businesses in Detroit either.) I would never put a business back in a place where it was once burned out in a riot. I’d move on to a better neighborhood. I suspect that will be the decision of most of them.
Yeah. It is all bad. I wouldn’t even want to drive through that town, let alone live there and run a business.
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