Downtown Chicago Businesses Remain Boarded Up, Fear Possible Looting Following Presidential Election Results
CHICAGO (CBS) -- As the country awaits final election results, business owners across Chicago are waiting to take down boards they put up earlier in the week. This has been a challenging year for business owners who say boarding up is not only to protect their stores but also their bottom lines.
Kooroush Danesghar is owner of Wedding Bands and Company, which is just one of many local jewelers who have chosen to remain boarded up past Election Day. Dansghar said because the windows are covered up, only two or three customers have come inside.
That is the tradeoff. He either loses customers for about a week or risks his business being broken into and looted like it was earlier this year.
Kimberly Bares with the Magnificent Mile Association said stores are grateful this week has been peaceful thus far.
While one business has opted to take its boards down the majority seem to be waiting until after the race is called.
"Business thrives on certainty, and so this uncertainty certainly has all of us a little on edge," Bares said.
The good new is the city says there are no known threats of violence -- nothing like the city saw twice already this year.
The Mag Mile Association said business will look more like themselves over the next few weeks.
