PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Four out of five Portland businesses surveyed by the advocacy group Bricks Need Mortar say they were vandalized or burglarized last year.
On Monday, Multnomah County rolled out a grant that offers eastside businesses money to help recover repair costs, which will come in handy for one local business on NE Sandy Blvd.
Despite being open for just a couple of months, Pho Le Nguyen has been vandalized three times. The owner, Eric Nguyen, says the boards that cover the restaurant are unsightly and worries they deter customers, but he doesn’t have the money to replace them.
Nguyen and his wife emigrated to the U.S. from Vietnam in the 90s, doing various odd jobs for years. But they were able to open their restaurant, Pho Le Nguyen, in February. But just before the grand opening, Nguyen had to shell out nearly $2,000 to replace a smashed window. Two other windows were also smashed and it would cost an estimated $6,750 to replace them, according to Nguyen.
“We are open seven days a week. We try the best we can even in the weather. We make commitment to customers. We love customers,” he said.
The county is offering up to $5,000 for small businesses to repair damage from recent vandalism — the grants are only available to businesses east of I-205.
Initially, Nguyen had trouble applying for the grant, saying that he couldn’t complete it because it required last year’s tax documents, something he doesn’t have since his business is brand new.
KOIN 6 News reached out to the folks in charge of the grant program to inquire about Nguyen’s issue. They responded by saying he is eligible for the grant and they will fix the online application so he can complete and submit it.
Nguyen says the money will help greatly, considering the restaurant is still building its customer base. He also told KOIN 6 that he is thankful for his business and believes it will help provide for his three children.