WEST DES MOINES, Iowa — After witnessing the damage done to property on Court Ave. and in the East Village following weekend protests, small businesses in Valley Junction prepared for the worst on Monday.
Many decided to board up their storefronts in anticipation of chaos, but it ended up being a silent night.
A crowd instead held a demonstration outside of the Capitol to protest the death of George Floyd.
However, a few small businesses decided to protect their stores a different way.
In a Facebook post, owner of Bozz Prints, John Bossley, stated that the apparel shop was VERY close to boarding up their windows. However, instead, they decided to put encouraging words in their storefront to let the public know that they do not condone racism or oppression of any kind.
Bossley said he knew there was a chance he would be greeted with destruction Tuesday morning at Bozz Prints.
“Either way it’s all just stuff. T-shirts, prints, stickers, whatever, it’s all replaceable. People are not,” Bossley said.