Carmichael business owner believes store was target of hate crime
A Carmichael business owner is standing strong after she said her business was possibly the target of a hate crime over the weekend.Mari Vilardo was inside her business when she heard a loud noise. “There was glass everywhere,” said Vilardo. “Then this rock was sitting here on the ground.”Vandals broke a window of her store, The Chubby Cupboard, on Fair Oaks Sunday afternoon. She believes the pride flag hanging from her window is the reason her business was targeted. “It really felt like they were trying to scare me,” said Vilardo. The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office told KCRA 3 it’s looking into a possible hate crime. “It’s a pretty big setback,” said Vilardo. Vilardo estimates repairs will cost a couple thousand dollars, but she said it will not stop her from doing what she loves. She is also taking steps to stay safe, like installing security cameras. “Instead of being scared and hiding, I would rather, you know, still be a proud lesbian business owner,” said Vilardo. For now, it’s the community support that’s helping her keep her doors open. “It’s just a speed bump and you can get over it and you can move forward from there,” she said. Vilardo set up a GoFundMe to help with repair costs. See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter
A Carmichael business owner is standing strong after she said her business was possibly the target of a hate crime over the weekend.
Mari Vilardo was inside her business when she heard a loud noise.
“There was glass everywhere,” said Vilardo. “Then this rock was sitting here on the ground.”
Vandals broke a window of her store, The Chubby Cupboard, on Fair Oaks Sunday afternoon.
She believes the pride flag hanging from her window is the reason her business was targeted.
“It really felt like they were trying to scare me,” said Vilardo.
The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office told KCRA 3 it’s looking into a possible hate crime.
“It’s a pretty big setback,” said Vilardo.
Vilardo estimates repairs will cost a couple thousand dollars, but she said it will not stop her from doing what she loves.
She is also taking steps to stay safe, like installing security cameras.
“Instead of being scared and hiding, I would rather, you know, still be a proud lesbian business owner,” said Vilardo.
For now, it’s the community support that’s helping her keep her doors open.
“It’s just a speed bump and you can get over it and you can move forward from there,” she said.
Vilardo set up a GoFundMe to help with repair costs.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter
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2024-12-11 07:13:00
