DETROIT (WXYZ) — Three locally owned Detroit businesses are picking up the pieces after each one was broken into and stolen from.
According to Detroit Police, last week Detroit Dye House, Tauntus Beauty Bar, and Xclusive Virgin Hair on Livernois Avenue were all burglarized by the same suspect.
The suspect can be seen in security video running into and breaking the glass business doors with his shoulder.
Even though she's infuriated, owner of Tauntus Beauty Bar, Nadonya Muslim said she still can't help but feel bad for the suspect, "the desperation he must be in that he wants to rob somebody's business."
The suspect allegedly took credit card machines, cash, and clothes from the three mom-and-pop shops.
"Just the feeling that somebody invaded your property or something you’ve been working hard for, it’s just a tear dropper for me," said Muslim.
Detroit Dye House had just opened their new location the week prior after two years of working to get it up and running.
They posted a video on their Instagram showing what all three storefronts looked like after the break-ins.
Hundreds of community members commented their condolences.
"It was astonishing to us," said co-owner of Detroit Dye House, Tammy Bourque.
Bourque explained that the Avenue of Fashion is an incredible place to be.
Local stores give back to the community, Tauntus hosts a food pantry every Tuesday to collect donations and all businesses had just finished helping to put on a Fall Festival for the community, days before the break-ins.
It's a great place, just a terrible event, and it comes weeks before the holiday season when the small businesses say they still haven't been getting as much foot traffic as before the pandemic.
"It is just nothing like it was before 2019," said Bourque. "Small business, I think we could blink, and I think they could be gone, and Detroit needs shopping."
The silver lining in all this has been community members asking how they can show support.
According to these entrepreneurs, the answer to that is simple.
Shop local, your support is what will get them through.
"Once you’ve committed to having a space in Detroit, we’re hoping we’re making the community better, and we want people to come," said Bourque.
Muslim said, "It’s just been one thing after another, but we still gone survive on Livernois."
