Kevin Woods and his wife started their business nearly five years ago in their Wicker Park apartment. It was a passion project to share creativity and cultivation with the community.
They opened The Pop Up storefront in Fulton Market, which sells curated and rare streetwear, collectibles, sneakers and clothes. Woods said he often travels around the country and world to get some of the items.
"The mission itself is really to just create a platform to launch products from ideas and concepts, which empowers other citizens, requires younger folks and creatives," Woods said. "So the mission really is centered around the community.”
The business was struck by thieves in early February. The burglary prompted Woods to post a message on the boarded-up window in hope of encouraging bad actors to consider how such crimes impact small businesses.
“Hey Chicago, before burglarizing our business again, consider the following," the message read. "The Pop Up is a small family-owned business, not a corporation. Destroying and stealing our products impacts the livelihood of nine local citizens. Your cowardice will not stop the mission.”
Woods further explained his reasoning in an interview with NBC Chicago.
“It was more just to let the people know, hey, I get it, you want to do these types of things, but it’s not like a corporation or a big business," Woods said. "When we’re down it impacts a lot of people, and it’s hard for us to operate it when things are stolen.”
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Unfortunately, the thieves struck again just 10 days later.
"It was catastrophic," Woods said. “I was pressed. I was mad, seething to a certain extent. But as a business owner, you have to think about what’s the next step? I can’t be dead in the water. I have to figure out how I move forward.”
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The most recent break-in prompted the business to close temporarily, while Woods builds up more inventory and cleans up. He said restocking, adding security measures and temporarily closing all put a burden on small businesses.
"I really hope the citizens continue to support small businesses," Woods said.
The community took notice of his sign following the break-in.
"I love coming here. When I heard they got hit up again, I wanted to come by," said customer Allan Weinberger. "I think it’s people like Kevin and his family that make this community so vibrant, and we need to keep that here and keep them supported.”
Woods is not alone in the struggle.
"All my other peers, colleagues who have businesses in the city, they’re going through the same thing too," he said. "It’s [about] staying open and communicating with those folks to see that they’re getting the support they need...and just figuring out how the community, not only just my store, can rally around, banding together to figure out how we continue to operate in this environment.”
Despite the break-ins, Woods said he's dedicated to the community, and persevering.
"If you quit now, then they win," he said. "Just keep pushing forward, it’s all you can do."
As of Sunday night, no one was in custody for the burglaries.
NBC 5 has reported on several other small business break-ins in the West Loop and across the city.
