City Fashion's Road to Recovery

News Story Links:
NBC 5 -Clip of Hak Tong Kim (owner of City Fashions) and Michael Cho ( friend)
CBS 2 - Clip of Hannah Kim  (daughter) and Hak Tong Kim 

From Hannah Kim' s (daughter of owner) recent FB post on Sunday, May 31:

I am gravely upset. My parents' store (City Fashions) was completely looted during the riots this weekend in Bronzeville, Chicago. They took everything. These stores that my parents have worked for decades to build were ransacked in a mere instant. My dad helplessly watched City Fashions being overrun and looted, and my uncle was assaulted by a huge crowd ransacking the store. Although they were able to arrive home safely, they are completely devastated.

My first generation Korean parents worked blood, sweat and tears to establish a proud business of their own. They’ve never closed during the holidays and always believed that business would prosper, even through many trying times. My dad, who’s always been an optimist, told me today that he gives up. Seeing my parents defeated and in despair breaks my heart. While I truly empathize with people’s outrage in the unjust treatment of African Americans, how can these protests justify destruction of innocent people’s livelihood? My parents did not deserve this at all..

Unlike chained businesses, our small business insurance does not cover stolen goods and damages caused by rioters/looters. These stolen goods are worth about 350K+ dollars of merchandise. As such, my parents essentially lost their business in its entirety.

Update on Monday, May 1st:
Thank you for your support, concerns, and prayers. Today, many community members in Bronzeville and volunteers from CCUC (Chinese Christian Union Church) from Chinatown helped us clean. BLESS YOUR SOULS. Although, I didn’t get to meet everyone that helped, I am genuinely grateful. Further, to the friends and acquaintances that reached out to help, my family and I send our gratitude to you as well.


To say the least, today was pretty chaotic. Many have asked why we were still in the area where it's unsafe. Truth be told, as looting in neighboring stores was still occurring, we salvaged what little goods we had left in the store, and knowing that another looting will be occurring tonight, we desperately reinforced the store and moved the remaining goods to mitigate the inevitable.


This is where my brother, cousins, Peter and I want to take action to help my parents build back, at least in part, their precious business. They’ve been diligent and independent their whole lives, providing good and honest services to the communities in the Southside of Chicago for thirty plus years. To re-establish that same spirit of honest work in the communities, we humbly ask you for your support, no matter how small, in rebuilding our family’s livelihood. Thank you, and God bless us all during these troubled times.

My heart goes out to George Floyd, his family, and everyone seeking change for the better.


Korean Translation: 
마음이 정말 아픕니다. 저희 부모님의 가게 (City Fashions)가 폭동으로 인해 약탈을 당해 모든 것을 잃었습니다. 부모님께서 수십년 동안 키워오신 사업이 한순간에 뒤집어 엎어진것입니다. 아버지는 가게가 약탈되는것을 지켜 볼 수 밖에 없으셨고 저희 삼촌은 약탈자들에게 폭행을 당하셨습니다. 더 큰 피해를 입지 않고 집에 돌아오셨지만 두분 다 아주 큰 충격을 받으셨습니다.
이민 1세대인 저의 부모님은 오랫동안 피, 땀, 눈물로 고생하시며 자랑스럽게 사업을 일구셨습니다. 남들 쉬는 공휴일에도 쉬지 않고 일하시고 힘든 시기를 이겨내시면서 언제나 성실하게 일하셨습니다.
항상 모든 것에 밝고 긍정적이신 저희 아버지도 오늘 저에게 다 포기하고 내려 놓고 싶다고 말씀하시는데... 이렇게 괴로워하고 힘들어하시는 저희 부모님을 보니 제 마음도 찢어지게 아픕니다.
저 역시 미국 내 흑인들을 향한 인종차별이 너무 마음 아프고 그 인종차별에 맞서 항의하는것을 이해하지만, 시위로 인해 아무 잘못없는 저희 부모님같은 분들의 삶이 무너지는것도 진심으로 안타깝고 괴로운 일입니다.
여러분의 도움, 관심, 그리고 기도에 정말 감사드립니다. 오늘 Bronzeville 주민분들과 차이나타운에 Chinese Christian Union Church 자원 봉사자분들의 도움으로 저희 가게를 청소할 수 있었습니다. 여러분 한 분 한 분 직접 만나 인사드리지 못했지만, 다시 한번 진심으로 감사드리며 축복합니다. 저희 가족에게 큰 도움을 주신 친구분들과 지인분들께도 정말 감사드립니다.
오늘은 저와 제 가족에게 정말 정신 없는 하루였습니다. 많은 분들이 저희에게 왜 아직도 안전하지 않은 저희 가게에 남아 있냐고 물어보십니다. 가게가 있는 동네에 아직도 약탈이 계속되는 가운데 얼마 남지 않은 짐을 정리하였습니다. 오늘 밤에 있을 약탈을 대비해 가게의 벽을 고치고 남은 짐을 다른 곳으로 옮겼습니다.
큰 체인 가게들과는 달리 폭동으로 인해 약탈된 가게 물건들과 피해는 비즈니스 보험으로는 보상이 되지 않습니다. 약탈당한 물건은 대략 $350,000이 됩니다. 제 부모님은 사업을 통째로 잃으신 것입니다.
이 때문에 저는 제 동생, 사촌들, 그리고 Peter와 함께 제 부모님이 다시 가게를 시작하도록 도와드리고 있습니다. 저희 부모님은 항상 독립적인 성실한 삶을 살아오셨으며 삼 십년 넘게 시카고 남쪽 지역에서 정직한 사업을 해오셨습니다.
저희 부모님의 사업을 다시 세우는데, 겸손한 마음으로 여러분의 도움을 청합니다. 여러분의 작은 기부 하나 하나가 저희 가족에게 정말 큰 힘이 됩니다. 다시 한번 감사드리고 이 힘든 시기를 지나는 모든 분들께 주님의 이름으로 축복합니다.



Here are some photos of City Fashions at its PRIME:

Destruction of City Fashions: 


Stock/back room of City Fashions: 



Volunteers from CCUC (Chinese Christian Union Church) in Chinatown

My family: 

1. How is the campaign organizer related to the intended recipient of the donations?
 I (Edward Kim) am the Small Business Owners' (Hak Tong Kim and Sang Jin Kim) son. Hannah Kim is my sister and a team member of the fund.

2. What is the purpose of the campaign and how will the funds be used?
Purpose of the fund is to help recover from the loss of stolen merchandise and help repair damages of broken windows, mannequins, walls, glass displays, cash registers, security monitors and system, and costs related to wooden board setup (30 Windows). Any extra funds will be donated to other small businesses who experienced the same disaster.
 
3. Are direct family and friends making donations and leaving supportive comments?
Yes, my family and friends are amazing and supportive people

4. Is the intended recipient in control of the withdrawals? If not, is there a clear path for the funds to reach them?
Yes the intended recipient (Hak Tong Kim) will receive the funds directly.



Please support other small businesses that were affected by the riots:

1.  https://gf.me/u/x6qgpq  (Help the Chongs: Englewood store looted and burned
2. https://gf.me/u/x6y4iv (Bronzeville Business destroyed by looting)
3. https://gf.me/u/x6gvug (Innocecnt Chicago small business destroyed and looted)
4. https://gf.me/u/x6ptt8 (Small Business Recovery Fund)

https://nextshark.com/asian-businesses-support-donation-looted/    <---- More small businesses listed in this article!