Ben Blumenfeld and other neighbors have organized a fundraising campaign to help out local businesses that were vandalized on Monday night.
“From Tartine to Art Zone, our local businesses were vandalized last night. Let’s step up and show them that the community supports them when others try to drive them out.
“100% of the funds collected here will go to help the businesses repair the damage from last night. If you are a business owner that was affected please contact us about the extent of your damage.”
This is our list of those affected:
Brick and Mortar
Taca Airlines
299 Valencia
Tradesmen
Property Management Systems
The Voyager Shop
Four Barrel
Pica Pica Maize Kitchen
Art Zone 461 Gallery
Locanda
Bar Tartine
Therapy
Weston Wear
Mission Police Station
Farina
Tartine
Did we miss anyone? Let us know in the comments.
There are loads of poverty stricken adults and children who could use this money way more than your “artisanal bakery” that already milks you $9 for your “shade grown vegan apple fritter” or whatever. Will you wait in line for an hour Sunday morning to donate your money to them as well? I think small businesses are great…but there’s a bigger picture here…
Gladly will continue to do business and support the many great merchants on Valencia St.
I own a small business in the mission. I don’t have an extra $5k for deductible. We were lucky and spared from the thoughtless act of violence. The cost of running the business in SF is very high. The profit margin is very slim. Thank you for organizing the fundraiser to support our friends and neighbors.
“Income inequality is a real and pressing problem in this country, but the folks who went through the Mission last night are a bunch of asshats. The businesses they attacked are staffed by working-class folks who mostly get by on the tips they earn waiting tables. Most of those businesses are owned by good people, our friends and neighbors, who worked hard and sacrificed to start those businesses and were born far from the silver-spoon crowd. Thanks for doing nothing about real social problems.”
Well said.
Let’s see – a few businesses (several of whom are so expensive I can NEVER enjoy them) NEED our money to fix a few broken windows?????
If precious Blue Bottle would come down in their precious price (for instance)then I might think they need help. SORRY
could not agree more sfjohn!tartine needs my money?? haha! this is ridiculous.
Isn’t it nice for people who live in the mission to make a gesture of kindness and empathy. Understanding and help is the heart of community.
I most hope so! If people can mobilize to break store fronts we should be able to mobilize to show our support and help rebuild.
This is an awesome effort, and I’ve donated. If you’re not comfortable donating directly, then showing up to patronize the businesses involved is also awesome, and you should organize that and/or do it yourself.
On the other hand, if you want to snipe at people trying to help from across the Internet, well, that just reflects on you.
Thanks Eric and agree as well. Anything we can do to show these businesses that we support them is a great idea.
I’m a shop owner on Valencia. Fortunately, my shop was spared any damage on Monday night. My insurance has a $5,000 deductible (most business policies do) and replacing broken windows is always the responsibility of the business and not the landlord. So, yes…please help businesses that will spend A LOT of money to replace the windows. In addition, Weston Wear got a citation from the city today (Tuesday) for graffiti that is already on the plywood that covers their 3 HUGE broken windows. How is that for city support and understanding?
Elina, that’s beyond ridiculous. Who issues those citations?
I agree with Paul, I already ‘donate’ to most of this shops & restaurants. Organize a Night Out to Support our neighbors, it’s best to let them know we’re not afraid to go back out. Don’t forget there were people, plants & cars that were also attacked – these were likely owned by residents – well the people who were hit with eggs & paintballs were probably residents. There needs to be a showing of support, not a throwing money at the problem.
Agree with you and don’t think this is an either or. I’d love to help support other ways to show our support. Let us know how we can help…
* crickets *
The silence is deafening. It’s clearly a lot easier for Paul and FoodGnome (and others) to criticize your efforts than to organize anything themselves. Thanks for your work to call attention to this, Ben!
Insurance is a good point. It seems nice to help these folks, but they most likely have insurance, so raising money might seem like a nice gesture, but it’s a waste of time. A better idea would be to organize a “Night Out” and get people to show up at all of these businesses to spend money—sort of the way Norwegians turned out to show the fascist killer they did not support his crime, and the way the Dutch turned out to show they did not support the anti-Muslim violence there.
Doing something just because it seems right doesn’t make it right—and it’s very Fox Republican. If they have insurance they won’t need the fundraising, but the message does need to get out that the Mission doesn’t support this sort of senseless violence by people who represent no one but themselves.
Most companies that have insurance have a rather large deductible so still have out of pocket expenses, not to mention that their insurance rates will probably go up so they will be paying for this for a long time to come.
Paul, totally agree! Want to lead organizing a night out in addition to the fund raising? Also know that even with insurance many businesses have a high deductible.
Whaat? The police station is on the list to receive money to fix their windows. SERIOUSLY? And, don’t most of these business have insurance? The vandalism done by some stupid NON OCCUPY nut jobs was wrong, but this campaign will not win any prizes out there either, especially with police on the list. Anyone seen the type of damage they cause to people’s property?????
I think Claire’s comment is sadly representative of the people in San Francisco whose automatic anti-establishment bias precludes any serious of the facts. The fact that these businesses were damaged is a fact. Saying that the people perpetrating the damage were “Non-Occupy” persons presupposes facts not in evidence. In fact, the Occupy people owe it to their community to prevent this sort of violence and rampage in the community. If “Non-Occupy” people used the Occupy rally to go on a self-indulgent, and pointless, damaging riot, it is incumbent upon the Occupy movement to police itself and it’s rallies to prevent this sort of behavior.
Claire’s non-sequitor about police damage to private property is also indicative of a completely wiling suspension of disbelief. Comparing damage done by out of control delinquents with that done by the police does not address the fact the police at least have the cover of the protection of the commonweal. The “Non-Occupy” elements have no such protection: they are delinquent vandals who should be punished to the full extent of the law.
That’s a list of businesses damaged, not businesses that will receive money. We’ll figure try and prioritize the businesses that most need it. Personally though if people from the community are going to vandalize a police station I think it’s worth asking people to help with that vandalism as well. That’s a healthy debate to have.
Relax, it is just a list of every property damaged in the silly rampage. I’m sure only businesses hard up will get priority and it is a local show of support.
Was this the one on Valencia Gardens?
Apparently the Senior housing complex was hit as well. I am sure they could use help.
Please have them contact us through the campaign and let us know what happened!