Theft, robbery, shoplifting, and violence are infecting our city. Like a plague, these issues are taking down small businesses, one by one.

With the current state of the economy, it is already difficult for any small business or franchise to stay afloat. Rising costs of goods and services, combined with the pressure of competing against Amazon and online shopping, are just a few of the many challenges we endure

However, the robberies and thefts are ruining a significant number of small businesses in the North End, West End, and Central areas of our great city. Over the past two years, I have watched this escalation of crime eat away at the fabric of our community. I am watching shops and restaurants from my childhood, businesses that have stood for 50 years, close their doors. In a snap, they become just a memory, replaced by a “For Lease” sign in the window.

I have had personal experiences dealing with individuals in my shop where I have been attacked, threatened, and even injured. I maintain a strict “no violence” policy, but it is becoming increasingly difficult not to act with aggression in response.

For the last four years, I have been saying that the worse it gets, the worse it is going to become. As theft and violence increase, the patience and well-being of business owners decrease. A large number of businesses deal with violence on an almost daily basis. The mental health toll and stress on these owners and their staff are immense. If you don’t live or work in these areas, you don’t see what many businesses have to deal with.

I often speak about the 97%, the great people who live in these areas, but there is a 3% that devastates our community. A combination of gang violence, alcohol, and narcotics is hurting us all.
What should be done? That is a difficult question. What I do know is that we cannot stay on our current path, or we won’t have much of a community left in a few years.

Recently, I received a letter from a business owner that caught my eye: “We look at our businesses like they are our own homes. What would you do if someone walked into your home, started breaking your stuff, and tried to leave with your possessions?”

Something to think about.