THUNDER BAY -- For the second time in six months, Craig Napper arrived at his south-side restaurant to find the windows smashed.
The owner and chef of the Blue Door Bistro found two large rocks inside his South Syndicate Avenue restaurant around 7:15 a.m. Thursday. Fortunately, no items were stolen.
In July of last year, the windows were smashed and items including food and alcohol were stolen.
Together the two incidents have cost the business about $12,000 and Napper doesn’t know why it keeps happening to his bistro.
“We don’t know where it’s coming from,” he said. “We hear in the past 20 years, because there was a restaurant here before, nobody had a problem here at all. No broken glass or anything in that period.”
“We’re looking at $12,000 in a matter of six to eight months.”
The windows initially cost $5,000 and Napper said it will cost about half that price to replace the glass.
After the burglary last summer, they installed a security system and Napper said he and his wife even moved into the building and live above the restaurant.
“Trying to make the neighbourhood better by investing ourselves into the neighbourhood that really is something I’m all about,” he said, adding creating a better environment for the area is not moving in the right direction.
“It is discouraging,” said Napper.
However, the restaurant had the mess cleaned up and the broken windows covered with plastic in time to open for lunch on Thursday.
“We’re open for business as normal,” said Napper.
A police report has been filed and a spokesperson for the Thunder Bay Police Service said there are currently no suspects.
