Siouxland Proud– SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) –As businesses continue to face challenges after being shut down due to COVID-19, some are now feeling the need to take another kind of precaution. They said they are boarding up their property with plywood panels that cover their storefront windows to protect the property from potential riots.
Eduardo Sanchez is the owner of Tacos El Guero. He said boarding up his windows is the best thing he can do right now to prevent damage to his business.
“I’m scared by the people coming from outside of Sioux City. I take out the windows because I think they’re going to try and break it,” Sanchez said.
He said the windows are also not covered by insurance.
Stylist Donia Rattei at Head Rush Salon said business was just starting to pick back up.
“It’s kind of made a few people very skittish wanting to even come into the businesses. I mean we just opened three weeks ago, and we were doing really well, now people are saying ‘I want to come early’ because they want to get out before like four o’clock because they’re afraid their cars are going to get hit,” Rattei said.
Charese Yanney is the owner of Yanney Realty which rents to several businesses downtown. Monday night, she decided to board up the entire property.
“It’s not out of fear. It’s out of trying to protect those businesses is what its all about,” Yanney said.
She said those businesses were just allowed to reopen and the last thing they want is a break-in to set them back. Yanney adds that she is communicating with the businesses on how long they will keep them boarded up.
Fleet Farm in Sunnybrook has started boarding up its doors after closing. They’ve also placed heavy pallets both inside and outside its doors as an added precaution.
Sams Club sent out an email to its customers saying, “Due to recent events and protests in the area of your club, we are temporarily cancelling our senior hours and concierge service.”