West Broadway ‘gut punch’

A thief beat the rush, breaking into a West Broadway fashion boutique before opening day.

The Winnipeg neighbourhood is one of several lacking support while other areas see increased security measures, the local business improvement zone asserted.

“(It’s) a gut punch,” said shop owner Lennard Taylor.

He’s been in the process of moving his eponymous shop, Lennard Taylor Design Studio, to a storefront at 67 Sherbrook St. from an Exchange District space.

On Tuesday, the entrepreneur spent 14 hours transferring his sculptures and artwork. He kept his phone silent for a solid night’s rest, Taylor said — and read an alarm notification upon waking.

Around 2:40 a.m. Wednesday, somebody stole his business computer, cash box, iPad and other machines. He estimates roughly $10,000 worth of goods was taken.

“It hurts a lot because I’m just going on a brand new move, my money’s really tight right now,” Taylor said Friday.

He recalled going through the motions — feeling violated, embarrassed, taken advantage of. He meditated.

Ultimately, the entrepreneur settled on aiming for positivity. He’s created a raffle for charity and plans to lean into community events on his shop’s front lawn.

“It dawned on me that it’s not about me,” Taylor said. “It’s about the community as a whole and caring for our society and what (we’re) doing as a society to influence our world.”

Break-ins are common enough in the neighbourhood to warrant a West Broadway BIZ grant for security measures.

Mike Williams used it to purchase shutters for Korner Stop, his convenience store.

“The best investment I ever made, ever, was having shutters on all my windows and doors,” Williams said. “That’s paid in dividends.”

He’s clocked a change in crime over the past 45 years. Back in the 1980s and ‘90s, hold-ups involving weapons seemed to be more common. Now, shoplifting and break-ins have taken the lead, he said.

He blames methamphetamine addictions.

“I’ve seen the good, the bad, the ugly. And right now, I can tell you, it’s ugly,” Williams said. “It’s not just here in Winnipeg — it’s happening everywhere.”

Nearby, Decadence Chocolates implemented exterior shutters following break-ins around 2022. There haven’t been issues of the kind since, said employee Lauren Willems.

Still, shoplifting occurs. Addicts, too, are around, Willems noted.

“It’s really unfortunate that they’re not getting the help that they need and are having to resort to things like this,” she said.

“I sympathize and empathize, but we also put a lot of money and work into what we’re doing here.

“We’d like that to be respected.”

The West Broadway BIZ introduced its safety and security grant during the COVID-19 pandemic. The 50-50 cost-shared program, which is ongoing, has paid out some $19,000 to eight companies.

“We do what we can to support our members,” said Eric Napier Strong, West Broadway BIZ executive director. “But there’s kind of a limit to what we can do to support public safety.”

He’s calling for a “broader view” of safety because businesses across the city are affected. Government has announced increased patrols for targeted zones including Osborne Village, Exchange District and West End.

West Broadway has seen a 275 per cent increase in cases of shoplifting of $5,000 or under, year-over-year, for the 12 months ending in March. The 30 cases are an 11 per cent jump above the five-year average, per Winnipeg Police Service data.

Break-and-enter reports declined almost 40 per cent over the five-year average.

(Ruwis’ Hair, Beauty & Nails and Bistro Dansk, a nearly 50-year-old company, are among the West Broadway businesses who haven’t experienced break-ins.)

“I think that many of the smaller BIZ zones are … feeling a strain,” Napier Strong said. “They’re all looking for more innovative public safety solutions coming from government.”

The West Broadway BIZ counts 107 member businesses. As long as people are suffering on streets, crime will persist, Napier Strong said, adding more housing is needed.

Mayor Scott Gillingham said he’s “frustrated” when he hears of business break-ins. The city has been making significant investments in public safety, he added, citing police officer hires, a new chief focused on foot patrols and the Safe Winnipeg Initiative, where police and various agencies co-ordinate to tackle crime.

“We have more to do to make our community safer,” he said.

An investigation into the theft at Lennard Taylor is ongoing, the Winnipeg Police Service confirmed. No arrest had been made as of Friday.

For now, Lennard Taylor Design will continue selling clothing on its front lawn until it gets final permits for its store. It doesn’t yet have an opening date.

gabrielle.piche@winnipegfreepress.com