LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — After a series of break-ins targeting small businesses across the Arts District, some owners are turning to city-funded grants to help improve security and protect their livelihoods.
At Recycle Propaganda, owner and artist Izaac Zevalking says the gallery has grown significantly since opening its doors.
“Recycle Propaganda is my gallery that I opened over seven years ago now,” Zevalking said.
What started as a space to showcase his own work has expanded into a hub for dozens of local artists.
“We have 40, 50 different local artists that we represent and sell their merchandise too,” he said.
But along with that growth came challenges — including repeated break-ins.
“We actually had a series of crimes where the guy was breaking in through the back door and he stole a laptop both times. Thankfully it was covered by insurance, but they never recover the files,” Zevalking said.
Those incidents pushed the business to look for stronger protections. Through a small business security grant from the city of Las Vegas, Zevalking says they were able to make key upgrades.
“We got an amazing back door and gate put in it’s pure solid now, no one’s getting through that thing. And we got a series of cameras and motion sensor lights,” he said.
Improvements like those are becoming more common across the district.
Just around the corner, Tacotarian has also dealt with multiple break-ins.
“We’ve had two kind of major incidents, one with a break-in and then one was just like kind of smashing our windows,” said Kristen Corral, co-owner of the restaurant.
Corral says the cost of responding to those incidents adds up quickly — especially for small businesses.
“That stuff costs a ton of money. Overall at our downtown location we’ve done probably close to $25,000 or more in upgrades and then unfortunately a lot of repairs,” she said.
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For many owners, the financial strain goes beyond just replacing what was stolen.
“We think of large corporations that have these teams of people. Small business owners take all of it on the chin, right? If there’s a break-in, if people give you fake money, which happens a lot, people are doing meth in your bathroom, which happened to us yesterday. Who has to deal with all of that? We do. So all of these things compound,” Corral said.
Even with the challenges, business owners say the Arts District’s close-knit community plays a key role in keeping each other informed and prepared.
“The great thing about this neighborhood is all the business owners know each other and we’re all on the text thread, so if something happens to one of us, everybody is informed,” Zevalking said. “It’s really a close-knit community, so I think that’s the front line against crime.”
Business owners can find more information and apply for the city’s small business security grant program on the city of Las Vegas website.
Currently at Recycle Propaganda, visitors can view Ethan E Salmon’s ‘Structured’ art exhibition through the end of March.
