BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — One of the biggest shopping weekends of the year, supposed to bring in cash for our local businesses, instead bringing devastation for the owners of Black Monarchy, a store on Buffalo's West Side.
"I am heart broken and not just because this is my store, because it belongs to the community," said Owner and Chief Designer Phylicia Dove.
She tells 7 News she woke up to a phone call Sunday morning from neighbors who told her the glass door was smashed, mannequins knocked over and items stolen.
Community members came together to clean up the Black-owned store on W. Utica Street. Dove says this is more than a store, it's a pillar in the community where people can connect with their culture and heritage.
"It's the one Black business in that immediate area, but know that we're not disappearing, we will be back, we will be stronger than before," said Dove.
The store will remain closed while owners pick up the pieces and install new safety infrastructure to keep customers and their all-female staff safe. Dove worries that break-ins are happening more frequently on Buffalo's West Side and hopes this situation helps to raise awareness.
In the meantime, Dove asks that you donate to their Black Monarchy Foundation, which supports communities of color, click here to donate.
