Thanks You's Long Overdue

I remembered to grab some quick cash this morning - something I'd been reminding myself to do for the past two days. I needed it to join with the funds from three other business owners - owners of businesses in my same stretch of four stores in a single old brick building. We're gathering together to buy gift cards for the three men who saved our businesses on the nights of the riot. 

My store is the second one of the four. On the left is
the coffeeshop, on the right is the Veterinarian and next
to her is a t-shirt screen printing shop. We're all women
owned and operated. Although there is a second
story, there are no tenants on that floor. Long ago
there used to be apartments above.  

During the night of Thursday the 28th-29th of May, looters and rioters protesting the death of George Floyd crossed over into St Paul, looting and destroying businesses along University Avenue. They they turned north and hit a variety of businesses - gas stations, convenience stores, and of course my neighborhood pharmacy, as they continued damaging and looting the area. Around my little four-business building, they hit directly South, directly East and directly Northeast, but our block was saved. 

My pharmacy, kitty-corner from the coffeeshop next door to me, was
looted and burned to the ground. The gas station to the right, across
the street from the coffeeshop was looted, but not fired. The gas
station up a block across the street from us was also looted, almost
completely destroyed inside. It's been gutted and I'm not sure if
they'll ever reopen. 

It was saved because of the efforts of three men who patrolled, cajoled, and protected the block. Brian, who lived on the top story of the building just south of me, John, one of the workers for my landlord who owns much of the block, and Mylan whom I don't know, but I think he operates the detailing shop a bit farther down the block. These three guys talked at least two waves of looters/rioters away from our little block, and patrolled regularly throughout the night, keeping all of us safe. 

When we were able to breathe again, I suggested to Kathy, the owner of the coffee shop next door to me, that we (four business owners) gather together and give the three guys a collective "Thank You" gift for their help. I'm absolutely sure none of us would have had a business to return to without their help. So, I pulled $75 from my personal funds to contribute and I'll talk to the T-shirt gal today about contributing. I'll leave the Veterinarian up to Kathy, and then pass all the funds along to her so that she can purchase Target gift cards for each of the guys. She also wants to include small gift cards for her coffeeshop, and that's fine. That's totally on her. 

People gathered a mile north of my business on Monday,
July 6th to honor the memory of Philando Castile who was
shot in his car without provocation by a police office from
the local township. The town disbanded their police and
their policing is now done by the County Sheriff's department
instead. I'm not sure that's an improvement.

I've been reminding myself for a few days now, so I'm very proud that I finally remembered - LOL. So, onwards. Life moves on, people (hopefully) change for the better, etc. One good thing about all of this was my starting to chat with Brian - the Vietnam vet who lives next door. I see him smoking while his Shih Tzu wanders the area. We've had a few good conversations since the riots. He's a interesting man. 

On that note, I'm out of here. Have a wonderful Friday and I'll be back tomorrow.