Several Chicago businesses have closed their storefronts in anticipation of possible disruptions and unrest during the Democratic National Convention.
The Garland building, located at the corner of Wabash Avenue and Washington Street, was decked out in plywood and wooden boards Friday, as were several other buildings in the Loop Friday. One business owner, who said he is no stranger to looting and burglaries, decided to take precautions as well.
“You get that phone call in the middle of the night and your heart jumps out of your chest,” said Scott Schapiro, owner of Syd Jerome, a men’s clothing store at 20 N. Clark St.
Schapiro said he had to pick up the pieces four times after his store was attacked by looters and vandals.
“We want to sleep a little more peacefully at night, and this gives us a little security, and we hope that there will be no incidents obviously, but in the event that there is, we want to have maximum protection,” he explained.
The owner said his store will remain open and will continue to operate during DNC week, with enhanced measures. If things get out of hand, he’s not afraid to close shop temporarily.
Schapiro urges other business owners to take responsibility for the safety of their stores and employees.
“Prevention is better than cure,” he said. “Most retailers are eternal optimists. They always think tomorrow will be better than today and you always hope for the best, but it doesn’t always work out that way.”
Despite the concerns, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said he was confident in the city’s efforts to hold a safe and productive convention.
“There’s a reason Time Out magazine ranked Chicago as the best city for conventions, because we’re good at it,” he said at a news conference Friday morning. “Are there individuals who want to disrupt the beauty of Chicago? Of course there are.”
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, in a one-on-one interview with NBC Chicago political reporter Mary Ann Ahern, rejected comparisons to the 1968 convention, pointing to changes in law enforcement tactics in recent decades.
“That’s not going to happen here …,” Pritzker said, referring to 1968, saying the problems were triggered by police then. “I’m pretty happy with the situation and obviously the only concern is whether we’ve allocated enough space, whether there’s enough protection in certain parts of the city. Those are all things that Superintendent Snelling and the people who have been organizing this convention for the last year and a half have thought about and planned for.”
