Several businesses in Tulsa’s Pearl neighborhood are showing resilience after police say a man smashed multiple storefronts overnight, causing thousands of dollars in damage.
A man is in custody, but at last check with the police, he has not been arrested for the vandalism.
“It may knock you out a bit, but we don’t have time for that,” Buck Atom’s owner Mary Beth Babcock said.
There is a rapid clean-up effort to pick up every little piece of glass from the sidewalks, after police say a man smashed windows at eight businesses in the Pearl District.
“In the neighborhood that we’re trying to build. Route 66 – it’s a very special place,” Babcock said.
Babcock woke up in the middle of the night after her store’s alarm went off.
“I’m a little discouraged,” she said. “It’s not just me. It’s several other companies.”
Across the street, Burnett’s Flowers and Designs was also hit.
“It’s the second time it’s happened to us. It happened last year. They broke on our doorstep,” manager Hunter Jones said.
Jones said they were always busy filling orders, with their flowers in full bloom and spring just around the corner.
“We’re here to make people happy and then you walk in and your windows are broken and they don’t care how much it costs to fix it,” Jones said.
While the man who throws away water pipe covers and broken flowerpot pieces hasn’t stopped thinking about the cost, J&B’s City Glass does recognize how much it will cost to repair.
City Glass by J&B has decided to waive window boarding fees for all businesses, to help with their expenses.
“There are far worse things happening in the world, but we’re open for business,” Babcock said. “We’re open. We’re ready for Route 66 travelers. We can’t let this get us down.”
Babcock welcomes any trace of positivity. She said she’d like to see an artist paint the picture from her window, until it’s time for a new window.
One way to support the area is to come to Meadow Gold Market Days, which takes place on Saturday March 5 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. There will be local artists, vendors and food.