KENOSHA — Kenosha businesses are boarded up in the downtown and Uptown area, but despite the windows being covered, business owners are reminding the public that they are still open.
Lyna Postuchow, owner of Summers Gardens Florist and Gifts, said the customers are slowly trickling back in and they are thankful for every purchase, big or small.
“Most of us are open we are ready for business again and that’s how downtown is going to survive,” said Postuchow.
Like many business owners in the downtown area, the windows to Lyna’s storefront were smashed-in during the night’s of riots. But Lyna said she is amazed at how quickly the community came together to clean up and paint color displays of artwork on boards.
“There’s a lot a great beautiful art,” said Postuchow.
Downtown Kenosha Incorporated is the organization that mobilized cleanup efforts.
“We have accumulated $100,000 in materials in donations for the boarding and for the painting afterward,” said Executive Director Alexandia Binanti.
Binanti said since many businesses are boarded, some think they are not open. But since the curfew was lifted, many restaurants and stores have gone back to normal hours.
“We are still taking precautions and keeping the boards up as well, as the fact we are inviting people to come to see the artwork, it’s a stunning display of a city coming together right now,” said Binanti.
Binanti hopes the community continues to grow and heal from the recent events, and that people continue to shop local in downtown and Uptown.
“We have shown as a community, we are here to support the Blake family, we are here to support our business owners, we are here to support the entire community but we need your support. We need you to come shop and drink coffee and know that we are still here still open and safe,” said Binanti.
Downtown Kenosha Incorporated has created a GoFundMe to support local business owners in downtown and uptown for more information click here.
