Business owner recalls saving his Scottsdale storefront from looters
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - More details are coming out about the destruction inside Scottsdale's Fashion Square that transpired Saturday night.
Some business owners were just let inside Tuesday to see the damage. One of the owners witnessed it while it was happening.
FOX 10’s Brian Webb spoke to him about how he single-handedly saved his store during the George Floyd protests.
When the protesters broke inside the mall, they didn’t know that one of the business owners was inside waiting for them
Sergio Bakalos, owner of King & Duck, is from Los Angeles and witnessed the Rodney King riots in 1992. He says he knows the damage mobs can do.
RELATED: Scottsdale Fashion Square closed after night of looting, unrest
When protesters began bashing their way into the mall, Bakalos tricked one of them to let him inside.
"I started banging on the door and I told the guy 'I’ve got a bat, I can help you break the glass,'" he explained. But, instead of ransacking and ripping off, Bakalos stood guard out front of his store, armed with a baseball bat and ready to use it.
"As soon as they came to the front, I was ready for them. OK what are we doing?'" he said.
Bakalos opened his clothing store 13 years ago and he wasn’t about to let his dream be trampled.
“Couple people I asked, 'Who you doing this for?' They didn’t even remember the guy's name who got killed ...," Bakalos said.
By time the looters were gone, he finally saw the first SWAT team. His store was saved.
"Who needs a SWAT team, when you’ve got a Louisville Slugger," Bakalos said.
He's still a little shaken up and sore from Saturday night, he said, but if he had to, he would do it again. Only next time, he would ask a few friends to stand by his side.