Iowa tire shop sustains damage during protest

DES MOINES, Iowa — Tire shops have been left to pick up the pieces, literally, in the wake of protests and riots that have broken out around the country following the death of George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis policeman.

Locations both close to the Minneapolis homicide and across the country have been struck by vandalism that has caused damage and disrupted operations.

Des Moines is normally a peaceful place, according to Wes Holt, president of Hilltop Tire Service, who said the family-owned shop has had to pick up the pieces following riots that damaged his downtown location on May 29.

"They broke out all the windows in the front and the side of our building, and then got inside and took some cash from the cash drawer. Started throwing bricks around inside the building. Just knocked over some tire displays. All of the chairs were thrown outside on the street," Mr. Holt said.

A protest earlier in the day in front of the nearby city police station devolved over time, and by late evening, there was trouble.

"It started out as a peaceful protest downtown, which is perfectly legitimate," Mr. Holt said.

"I think when they got asked to start breaking it up and start going home, I think the majority of the people went home. But then a few people stayed back and started getting rowdy. So the police tried to break it up. The police station is only about two blocks from our store.

"They ended up pushing the crowd down towards our building. Once they got down there, they were even more upset. That's when they started getting violent. And started breaking windows," he said.

Mr. Holt estimated his shop, which sustained "tens of thousands of dollars" in damage, was targeted around 10:30 to 11 that Friday night.

Hilltop Tire, which has two other locations in the Des Moines area, kept its downtown location closed on Saturday but was up and running again by the following Monday, June 1. The broken windows were boarded over, and the shop cleaned and readied for customers.

Des Moines, like so many other communities around the country, has been experiencing unrest like no other time. The widespread nature of the protests exceeds even that of the civil rights era when protests, while significant, were not in as many cities.

"I just I never experienced anything like this in Des Moines," Mr. Holt said.

"It's normally pretty peaceful here. I knew they were going to have a demonstration, which I expected to have some people hollering and voicing their opinion, which I have no difficulty with. And then I guess I didn't even expect it would break out into a riot and end up being all over the streets of downtown."

Seven Bridgestone Retail Operations (BSRO) stores in four states have been damaged during the protests, including two Tires Plus sites in Minneapolis where Mr. Floyd died and one in adjacent St. Paul, Minn.

Single Firestone Complete Auto Care locations in Oakland and Van Nuys, Calif., Louisville, Ky. and Seattle also have been damaged, Nashville, Tenn.-based BSRO said.

The Twin Cities have been a hotbed for protests and rioting as well after video emerged showing a Minneapolis police officer kneeling on Mr. Floyd's neck for more than eight minutes during an arrest. The officer has been charged with second-degree murder, and three other officers at the scene also face charges.

While Minneapolis is a focal point of protests, Louisville also is experiencing unrest due to another police-related homicide. Louisville police shot Breonna Taylor, an emergency medical technician, eight times in her home March 13 while exercising a "no-knock" search warrant.

BSRO said seven of its retail stores sustained "various levels of damage" following local protest activities, and an undisclosed number of other stores have closed temporarily or are closing early at the request of local police due to continued protest activities in certain areas.

"We are fortunate to report that no customers or employees were at any of the store locations during these instances, and all employees are accounted for and safe," the company stated.

Damage estimates were unavailable as the company said it is still assessing damage.

"Across our network of more than 2,200 tire and automotive service centers nationwide, the well-being and safety of our employees and customers remains the company's most important value," the company said.

Meanwhile, damage caused by protesters creates a bit of a one-two punch for Hilltop's Des Moines location following the slowdown in business caused by COVID-19, Mr. Holt said.

"It's tough. Especially with the timing of it with everything going on. That store, in particular, has been struggling because of the COVID," he said.

"A lot of the people downtown just aren't working right now. That store's business right now is way down. So to have this on top of that is definitely a blow."

The company president said there was no question the store would reopen as soon as possible.

"We're definitely here for the long run. We've got a lot of loyal customers that have kept us in business for years, and we're going to be there for them," Mr. Holt said. "I've had nothing but support."

"I think, right now, everyone is saying, 'We're in this together, and we're going to get through it.' I think there are some people who are a bit scared and nervous about what's going to happen," he said about the community's mood.

"I was just overwhelmed with all the kindness and the support that we've seen from the community. I just want to say thank you to that. It's definitely a testimony to what we've built up over the years as a business of wanting to be interested in the community. I think they are showing us that they are here for us and we really appreciate that," Mr. Holt said.

Discount Tire also reported that one its stores in Saint Paul was vandalized May 28 due to riots.

"The safety of Discount Tire employees and customers remains our first priority," the company said, noting the St. Paul store closed temporarily on May 29.

"Additionally, some stores across the country are being temporarily closed, on a case-by-case basis, in order to protect the safety of our employees and customers. We continue to support the neighborhoods in which we live and work," Discount Tire said.

A Car-X Tire & Auto store as well as Electra Tune Tire & Auto, both in Minneapolis, also were damaged, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

Much of the property damage occurred along East Lake and West Lake streets in Minneapolis, which is south of downtown Minneapolis and about eight blocks north of where Mr. Floyd died.