AKRON, Ohio — Some Downtown Akron business owners are boarding up windows as a precaution as a special Summit County grand jury reviews evidence and testimony in the Jayland Walker case.
The owners are planning to stay open but decided to put up plywood to prevent the glass from being shattered in the event of any unrest.
"We are hoping for the best as we are preparing just to protect our business," said Charlie Somtrakool, owner of Cilantro Thai and Sushi Restaurant on Main Street.
Most of the protests last year were peaceful, but there was also some violence and vandalism.
Somtrakool said about $10,000 in damage was done to Cilantro days after Akron police shot and killed Walker.
Beyond that, Somtrakool estimates he lost about $50,000 in business because many customers avoided coming downtown.
"The safety of downtown was in jeopardy," he said.
Chris Sedlock owns The Daily Pressed, which has been open for a few months and serves coffee, cocktails and wine. He's also the co-owner of Twisted Tomato Pizzeria and Beer Wall next door.
He also decided to board up windows at both businesses.
"It's very much precaution for sure. We have no idea what's going to happen," Sedlock said. "It's really just a cost scenario where it'd be more cost-effective to board up now instead of paying for damages later."
Prior to opening The Daily Pressed, Sedlock operated Karma Kafe, which also had windows shattered last summer resulting in roughly $7,000 in damage.
Sedlock is anxiously waiting for the decision by the grand jury which could come at the end of this week or next week.
"I have faith in the justice system. I have faith in people. I'm very optimistic," he said.
"Walker was shot more than 40 times by eight Akron police officers after a car and foot chase.
Police said he was unarmed during the shooting but that he fired a shot from his car less than a minute into a chase.
The grand jurors, comprised of nine Summit County residents, will determine if any of the officers will be indicted on criminal charges.
The boarding up of businesses does not come cheap. Joe Santoferraro, with JVS Construction, is the property manager for four of the buildings. The cost to put up the plywood on all of them totaled about $6,000. He said all of the buildings were vandalized last year.
"Glass takes three, four months to get. Some of these businesses are open for business. They don't want their businesses boarded up for three months waiting on glass," Santoferraro said.
Despite the uncertainty in the days ahead, the business owners hope customers continue to visit, shop and dine in the Downtown area. They all want peace, healing and for the boards to come down as soon as possible.
"I'm just gonna watch the other businesses and when they take them down, I'm going to as well," Sedlock said.
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