'Buy & Fly' store in Chicago may never reopen after looters strike

CHICAGO - A store on Chicago’s West Side may never reopen after being hit hard by looters.

The owner spoke Thursday, as people work to clean up communities in the wake of the riots.

The inside of Buy & Fly was full of clothing on Sunday as shop owner, Osman Syed, prepared to reopen his store. But now, the inside has been destroyed.

“Everything is gone,” Syed said.

All of the clothing and shoes were stolen, with mannequins, glass and debris now filling the floor.

“This is my whole life. I’ve been working and trying to build up my merchandise, my inventory every year and everything is gone within a second,” Syed said.

Looters broke into his store on Sunday. Syed watched as it happened on live television.

“They were coming through the back door and taking my stuff away. Couldn’t do nothing,” Syed said.

Syed is one of many business owners trying to recover from looting on top of a pandemic.

Many have stepped up to help businesses in need. On Thursday morning, about 100 students and faculty from Leo High School swept up debris and cleaned up graffiti. Others worked for hours to help clean up a Jewel-Osco on South Stony Island.

At Buy & Fly, the cleanup has yet to begin. The owner says he is unsure if he will ever open up his doors again, for safety reasons.

“As an American, we are way better than this,” Syed said.