After being hit by smash-and-grab, Chicago store owners spend $100,000 to reopen
CHICAGO (CBS) – While many continue their holiday shopping, one Tri-Taylor sneaker store is missing out.
Flee Club has been out of business since a SUV smashed into the store and the suspects stole their merchandise. CBS 2's Shardaa Gray reported on the steps the store has taken to reopen and prevent another burglary.
Starting from scratch, Flee Club owners Darrius Kelly and Sabrian Sledge have had a rough month.
"They tried to put us out of business," said Sledge, referring to the many crash-and-grabs across the city.
His store was one of the many that were hit. Surveillance video shows the SUV crashing into the store and then the suspects scattered to grab whatever they could get their hands on.
"We both haven't gotten a lot of sleep since it happened," Kelly said. "It's just a little, what is it called? PTSD? You're always thinking about stuff."
Some stuff they thought about was what could prevent this from happening again, so they installed bollards. They had thought about installing them before the crash-and-grab.
"You have to get approved by the city, but starting off, you don't think of that stuff," Sledge said. "You just really think of the basics. You don't really think like a thief."
Out of all the crash-and-grabs, in their eyes, "We probably got hit the hardest. We had a lot of structural damage that we're getting together," Sledge said.
From the newly-installed bollards outside to the riot glass, to the actual merchandise that was stolen, Kelly and Sledge said the total cost out of their pockets was more than $100,000.
"In merchandise, I'd say about $70,000," Kelly said. "And then, maybe structural damage, maybe like [$40,000 or $50,000]."
The sneaker store has been closed since the burglary. While customers can still shop online, the owners said their revenue comes from in-person shopping.
"People are still calling," Sledge said. "'Y'all still not up and running yet?' I don't think they realized the severity of this, of an actual vehicle coming into our place."
Their goal is to open in a couple of weeks.
"We're still going to miss a lot of Christmas [shoppers]," Kelly said. "We're trying not to though."
Sledge added, "We missed Black Friday. We missed Small Business Saturday. Those would have did good for us."