Several businesses along King Street are already recovering from the damage caused Saturday night after protests turned violent, and many believe their insurance will cover the cost of replacing smashed glass, broken doors and missing merchandise.
Some restaurants and storefronts along the prominent strip in Charleston are still covered with plywood after this weekend's protests against racism and police brutality transitioned into rioting as the sun went down.
But others are preparing to reopen this week.
Some of those business owners were forced to adjust their schedules to comply with curfews that were temporarily put in place. Others are now making arrangements for how to reopen with security services.
Roy Neal, a co-owner of El Jefe Texican Cantina, was overseeing a crew on Tuesday replacing several windows and a damaged front door.
The restaurant, which Neal has owned for several years, did not sustain a huge amount of damage, he said. The protesters did break in and go through the emptied cash registers. But they did steal a few drinks while inside. The televisions were left hanging on the walls.
Neal said his current plan is reopen to El Jefe by at least Friday. But when his employees and customers return, the restaurant will be paying security personnel to stand guard.
"We'll have armed security here when we open this weekend," he said.
Other businesses could open before that.
Across the street, Allison Smith and Nir Arbiv, the co-owners of Glazed Gourmet Doughnuts, plan to potentially reopen Wednesday morning. They began pulling down the plywood from their storefront on Tuesday in preparation.
The businesses on either side of their small shop were smashed during the rioting Saturday night, but their store was untouched.
Arbiv said he is supportive of the protests. As a Jewish man, he understands the anger people are feeling over the police killing George Floyd, a black man, in Minneapolis.
"What happened to George Floyd can't happen again," Arbiv said.
At the same time, Arbiv is concerned the more violent side of the protests are detracting from their key message.
If smashing his restaurant would bring back Floyd, he said, he would do it himself. But he doesn't believe destroying property is contributing to the effort to bring an end to discriminatory policing practices.
We're starting a weekly newsletter about the business stories that are shaping Charleston and South Carolina. Get ahead with us - it's free.Justin Walling replaces a glass window on Tuesday, June 2, 2020, that was damaged during Saturday night's protests at Monza Pizza Bar on King Street. Lauren Petracca/Staff
By Lauren Petracca lpetracca@postandcourier.com"You cannot fight violence with violence," he said.
Many of the businesses that were damaged are likely to be covered if they have the right insurance policies.
Justin Walling, who owns a part of Monza Pizza Bar with his wife, was busy Tuesday replacing two of the panes of glass at the front of that restaurant.
The job was something Walling was prepared for. He normally creates leaded glass and other high-end glass displays with his other company, Charleston Architectural Glass. Those connections, he said, made it easier for him to order the tempered glass that is now in high demand.
"When the roof leaks, I can't help," he said. "But when the glass breaks, I'm ready."
Monza had two windows broken, but Walling said the restaurant otherwise went untouched. The rioters barged into the building, he said, but they left cash from takeout orders lying on a table nearby and thousands of dollars worth of alcohol behind the bar.
Walling said the restaurant's insurance policy specifically covers damage caused by civil unrest.
Hany Allan, owner of King Street Grocery, vacuums up broken glass from a damaged cooler on Tuesday, June 2, 2020, following Saturday night's protests. Allan said he had a cash register, cigarettes and lottery tickets stolen from his store. Lauren Petracca/Staff
By Lauren Petracca lpetracca@postandcourier.comMany other policies will, too, said Ray Farmer, director of the S.C. Department of Insurance.
Every insurance policy is different, Farmer said, but most will help pay for the type of damage.
"Normally, damages caused by the commotion of rioting is covered," Farmer said.
On Tuesday, Farmer spoke with several other business owners in Columbia who also suffered damage during rioting in that city.
He told them they should learn what is included their policy by talking to their agent, insurance company or the Department of Insurance.
The state insurance agency, he said, expects to place information on its website for businesses hit by the violence.
Reach Andrew Brown at 843-708-1830 or follow him on Twitter @andy_ed_brown.