Chicago businesses still recovering 1 year after looting
CHICAGO - One year after the looting sparked by national outrage over the murder of George Floyd, some Chicago area businesses are still working to recover.
When FOX 32 News stepped foot into urban clothing store, Buy & Fly, on Chicago's west side in June of 2020, mannequins and debris covered the floor. The walls were empty. Hangers dangled where clothes once hung.
Days earlier, on May 31, looters stormed through. The store owner, Osman Syed, watched it happen live on television.
LLoyd Kolesky, a friend of the Syed, recalls the shock.
"I mean it was completely devastating," said Kolesky.
But with the help of friends like Kolesky, Syed restocked and reopened in July of last year because he says the support and love he got from the community encouraged him to push forward.
"The many vendors, you know, kind of everyone pitched in," said Kolesky.
On May 30, 2020, looters smashed through the windows of Wedding Bands & Co. located downtown.
They stole jewelry and damaged equipment. Then, in August, the store was looted a second time.
"It's been a challenging year," said owner, Koorosh Daneshgar.
But the store is open, though business is struggling.
Daneshgar says he decided against relocating because he did not want to give looters the satisfaction.
"It also makes me as a person to be stronger, and I am proud that we came out," said Daneshgar.
On Wednesday, Mayor Lori Lightfoot was asked about a Chicago Tribune article that questioned her response to last year's unrest.
The Tribune cited emails that the Mayor apparently knew about the unrest before it happened.
"I think the thing we ought to concern ourselves with is that a--an enemy force hacked and stole emails," said Lightfoot. "And I'm disturbed by the fact that the reporting doesn't feature that part of it."
The Tribune says these emails were not part of a hack, but were obtained through public records requests.