Pearl District Businesses Show Resilience After Man Vandalized Storefronts

Several businesses in Tulsa's Pearl District are showing resilience after police said a man smashed several storefront windows overnight, causing thousands of dollars in damage.

A man is in custody, but at last check with police, he has not been arrested for the vandalism.

"This can knock you down for a little bit but, we don't have time for that,” said Mary Beth Babcock, the owner of Buck Atom’s.

There is a swift cleanup effort to pick up every little bit of glass on the sidewalks, after police said a man smashed out the windows of eight businesses in the Pearl District.

"In the neighborhood that we're trying to build. Route 66 -- it's a very special place,” Babcock said.

Babcock woke up in the middle of the night after her store alarm went off.

"I'm a little disheartened,” she said. “It's not just me. It's multiple other businesses."

Across the street, Burnett's Flowers and Designs was hit too.

"This is the second time it's happened to us. It happened last year. They busted out our doors,” Manager Hunter Jones said.

Jones said they are still busy filling orders, with their flowers in full bloom and spring around the corner.

"We're here to make people happy and then you come in and your windows are busted and they don't care how much it costs to fix it,” Jones said.

While the man throwing water main covers and broken pieces of a flowerpot did not stop to think about the cost, City Glass by J & B does recognize how much it will cost to fix.

City Glass by J & B decided to waive the window boarding fees for all the businesses, to help them out with expenses.

"There's much worse things going on in the world, but we're open for business,” Babcock said. “We're open. We're ready for the Route 66 travelers. We can't let it get us down."

Babcock is welcoming any bit of positivity. She said she would like to see an artist paint the board on her window, until it’s time for a new window.

One way to support the area is to come to Meadow Gold Market Days, which is Saturday, March 5 from 10 to 3. There will be local artists, vendors and food.