What a swell idea! From carefully listening to everyone's point of view on the subject, I fully expect overwhelming support of this idea!

...where do I send my money?

I'll chip in in the name of restoration. Common Sense, was your post a "yes" as well?

I'm in.

I've got a message in to Joe to find out how much we'd need to raise for the damages.

spend twenty dollars on some rolls of film and go take pictures of downtown olympia so that in a couple of years i can show people who are new to town what olympia used to be like before the noise ordinance and the waterfront condos

First- thanks to all of you for thinking of us at the store. The broken windows and the graffiti was bothersome - but I admit, once I read the posts on the web Friday afternoon is when it really bothered me. The property damage is just that, property. But the anger, hatred- the visceral nature of the posts really got to me, and to my employees. It's that old sticks and stones argument- the words are what really hurts. Ironically, my staff and I were all working a very long day on Friday, preparing for our Outdoor Life Auction, which raised more than $25,000 for programs to get youth into the outdoors.
I actually perused through OlyBlog on Sunday night, to see what the community was saying about the events on Thursday- and it really lifted my spirits, seeing so many condemning the violence, questioning how it could happen in OUR community. I was shocked- and I learned I was not alone.
So to see the community at Olyblog willing to raise funds to help pay for damage- It's a wonderful and meaningful gesture of support. Olympia is a community that continues to amaze me.
Luckily, rocks were thrown through the windows leading into our Ski Shop, not the retail floor. This kept product and the carpets from getting damaged at all. We had also just gotten bids to actually replace the siding and the windows along that whole side of the building, with new energy efficient ones. So I am not going to file an insurance claim for the damage, as it was going to be replaced anyway. The only real cost I incurred that wasn't planned was my carpenter's time to cover and paint and such. Probably came to about $200.
As I looked through the posts, though, one of the latest ones really hit home for me - saying it felt odd to donate funds to a private business...as I would feel odd taking them too. The offer is really what matters. That person did have a great idea, and one I have often utilized myself. The best thing folks can do to support us, rather than donate, is to come shopping, and let us know they are doing it support us because of this incident. I know, I know ... I don't like to promote blatant 'consumerism'- but we do specialize in durable, long lasting products, and most of our vendors have a strong commitment to sustainability.
Whenever a downtown business is hit with a theft, an emergency, a natural disaster, that's what I do. Go out of my way to shop there, support them through my patronage, because that's what they need most to stay in business.
Also today, I had a local contractor come into the store and offer to do any needed repairs from the vandalism for free. The owner was born and raised here, and really felt that iin times like these, our community needed to come together. I thanked him profusely, but let him know about the scheduled repairs.
So please, OlyBlog community, come by and talk with my employees, let them know you support us. I often worry about the impact on them for my service on the Council, as so many difficult issues come up.
As I said, it was the words, more than the rocks, that hurt the most. Last night at Council, I refrained from speaking much on this issue, because I am still trying to process how such things can happen in our community. I think we all need some time to heal, to regain perspective- to let the anger dissipate so we can rise above it, perhaps, into a better understanding of how we came to this...so that it never has to happen again.
Thanks again for the support and kind words,

Joe

In case it wasn't clear. Don't donate, go shop there. He's not filing an insurance claim because, luckily, he was planning to remodel that part of the store anyway. The extra costs aren't really that much, and aren't effecting his business in a negative way. Also, as a private business he feels a little weird getting money donated to him, but really appreciates the gesture.

I also have a 20 dollar bill that I am willing to donate to the cause of reparations. However, I am going to wait until those who did the deed have a chance to make reparations, or are confronted in a request to make reparations, before putting mine in the pot. bert

"we can't let the terrorists make us too afraid...to shop" -george dubya

for the love of God give it to me. I'm poor. I need the cash. If ya do I'll be able to buy even more cool shit from Joe. Double dog dare ya.