Center City Boutique Owner Says COVID-19 Shutdown, Recent Looting Chance To Reopen With ‘Open Minds And Open Hearts’

Jessica Kartalija reports.

COUNTS OF KNOWINGLY CAUSINGMALICIOUS DESTRUCTION ANDFACES TO UP TEN YEARS INPRISON.MANY PHILADELPHIABUSINESSES HOPING TO REOPENFOLLOWING THE CORONAVIRUSPANDEMIC WERE THEN HIT HARD BYLOOTERS.BUT THING BUSINESS OWNER TELLS"EYEWITNESS NEWS" THE SETBACKHAS BECOME HER INSPIRATION.LISTENING TO POLICE VIDEOAT THE TIME.LIKE SO MANY PHILADELPHIASTOREFRONTS, WINDOWS AT KIMBOUTIQUE IN CENTER CITY ARECOVERED WITH BOARDS.BUT INSIDE IS LIKE BEING INYOUR BEST FRIEND'S CLOSET.WE REALLY WANTED TO CREATEENVIRONMENT THAT JUST PROMOTEDINCLUSIVE AT THIS, AND JUSTMADE PEOPLE FEEL REALCOMFORTABLE.THIRTY-FOUR YEAR OLD JOEYCLARK, PROUD MINORITY BUSINESSOWNER, OPENED HER DOORS ALMOSTTHREE YEARS AGO.SO I FEEL REALLY BLESSEDTHAT I'VE BEEN ACCEPTED SOWARMLY.BUT THE LAST FEW MONTHSHAVE BEEN A STRUGGLE.THE PANDEMIC FORCED HER TOCLOSE.THEN CAME RALLIES FOR CHANGE.THIS MOVEMENT CREATED ASPACE TO TALK ABOUTEVERYTHING.THE PROTESTS WERE BEAUTIFULTHING.BUT THINGS TURNED UGLY.JUST DAYS BEFORE RE-OPENING,CLARK HEARD SHOPS WERE BEINGLOOTED.I WOULD BE LYING IF I SAIDI WASN'T SCARED.SPECIALLY WITH COVID-19HAPPENING, YOU KNOW, WE HAVEALREADY REALLY BEEN HIT PRETTYHARD AND IT HAS BEEN SUCH ATRYING TIME, AND THEN TO HAVETHE FEAR THAT I COULD LOSEEVEN MORE WAS SCARY.SHE DID.LOOTERS BROKE WINDOWS.STEALING THOUSANDS OF DOLLARSWORTH OF MERCHANDISE.BUT THAT IS WHEN THE COMMUNITYCAME TOGETHER.SHE DROPPED A BAG OF STOREMERCHANDISE.I NEVER EVEN MET THIS WOMANBEFORE.BUT WHO TO SEE HER COME UP THESTREET WITH OUR BAG OFMERCHANDISE, IT WAS JUST ANAMAZING MOMENT.KEN MEANS FAMILY.THE UPSIDE TO ALL OF THIS ISRE-OPENING WITH WHAT CLARKSAYS ARE OPEN MINDS, AND OPENHEARTS.AND A VERY BRIGHT FUTURE.LOST THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS,BUT ALL OF THAT IS REPLACEABLEAT THE END OF THE DAY.IT NEVER STOPPED US FROM BEINGBEHIND AND REALLY SUPPORTINGTHIS MOVEMENT, JUST KIND HALFTO PIVOT AND FIND NEW WAY TOMOVE FORWARD.NOW THAT SHE HAS REOPENEDJOEY IS DOING EVERYTHING FOSKEEP CUSTOMERS SAFE FROM THECORONAVIRUS.