GAITHERSBURG, Md. — This time of year can be make-or-break for small businesses. And, it doesn't help when thieves are breaking in.
At Rich Soles DMV on N Frederick Avenue, owner Rich Mejia says the business is about more than money.
"I'm obsessed with it," he said surveying his inventory of rare sneakers and custom clothing. "I need to do more. I need to do better. I need to learn every day," he said of running the business for the past six years, all tucked away in a Gaithersburg shopping center.
"Nobody has this around our community. So, I was trying to bring it to our community here," Mejia said.
Which makes what happened this past weekend even harder to take. Police say someone forced their way in and took off with box loads of merchandise. Including the cost of the damages, Mejia says it's a nearly $15,000 loss for his business.
"Just devastated," he said. "I was trying to do something here positive for the community and just to get, you know, you feel like you got backstabbed."
He's not alone. Across the DMV and nationwide, the National Retail Federation says thefts from stores are up compared to last year's holiday season.
Rich says for a small business like his, recovery from this kind of loss is also rare.
"It tears you apart...we're doing this with a loan. So, it just it really, just brings you down and makes you rethink if you're going to keep doing this," he said.
His message to the thieves is that it's not too late for returns.
"You can drop it off with no consequences, and we can call it a clean slate," he said of the stolen merchandise.
Since the break-in, Mejia has installed a new security system, added more cameras, and reinforced his front door. Now, he's hoping police might catch a break and find who did it.
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