Looters who smashed into places like Marshalls and Walgreens Sunday night were not particularly discriminating—they also destroyed small mom-and-pop businesses across downtown, the Back Bay and the South End.
Kayla Elizabeth set up a GoFundMe page to help her family recover from what they found yesterday morning inside their Clarendon Wine on Boylston Street in the Back Bay:
Today was a very tough day. As many people have seen, the amazing protest for Black lives matter turned into a riot once the sun set. The message of life and the call for equality was marred by people taking the opportunity to destroy and loot businesses. These are people who truly don't care why there was a protest, they were in it for self gain. Unfortunately we unlucky and were targeted by those individuals.
Also destroyed: Dartmouth Street Vision Center on Dartmouth Street in the South End, which opened as a black-owned business as part of the Tent City development more than 30 years ago. Jamil Sabree posted photos of what was left:
My dad owns this place and I work here. We have remained open and available during this entire pandemic and have kept every employee employed. This business was destroyed and looted last night. Thank you for trying to defend my life by completely destroying my livelihood. Next time you decide to "protest" please realize that if #ICantWork then #ICantEat.
One loyal customer writes:
I've been a customer for years - decades, even. You couldn't meet a nicer man than Dr. Sabree, and his son started working there a few years ago, too. And, Edna, at the front desk! Few independent businesses are as hard to keep going as a eye exam place.
Also looted: Giorgiana's, a market on Tremont Street in the South End, whose owner posted photos and added:
No fatalities!! So lucky it happened after hours - I need my employees to be safe !!! We will all get through this and take back our beloved neighborhood!!
Also hit: The Urban Grape, on Columbus Avenue in the South End:
This is a hard morning on a lot of levels. What we are impressing upon our kids is that windows are not lives. Dreams deferred cause rage. Our window is broken but the roots of this are in 400 years of knees on necks. But we would be lying if we said this doesn't hurt, and if we didn't acknowledge that this is especially layered for TJ. We've gotten through the last 11 weeks, and we will get thru this. We will also open later today, so UG fam don't leave us now.