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Murfreesboro Businesses Reopen To Supportive Community

Posted at 6:08 PM, Oct 30, 2017
and last updated 2017-10-30 20:17:14-04

Business owners were glad none of their property was damaged during a planned White Lives Matter rally, but some suffered a loss of profit because they decided to close to keep their customers safe and away from the planned rally.

Prior to the rally over the weekend, businesses shut down, many boarded up, in preparation for a potential violent clash. 

The rally was scheduled on the downtown square in Murfreesboro on Saturday afternoon but it was eventually canceled. 

On Monday, businesses reopened to an eager community waiting to support the owners.

"Usually Mondays are easy going and laid back but today we are very busy," said Courtney Adams, an employee of City Cafe." I feel like a lot of people are out here trying to support us because we were closed and they're trying to help out what we did lose."

Adams said the restaurant easily lost thousands of dollars in business. 

Across the square, Pastime Barber Shop and Pool Hall Owner Toni Lester said she lost approximately $800 in business. 

However, Lester said since reopening, the focus has been on the positive things Murfreesboro has to offer.

"We got a really good community of not letting stuff bring us down. We're stronger than that," said Lester. "We urge everybody to come to the square and help the small businesses out because we're not a corporation. When we lost money, that's it."

Owners and the community group Murfreesboro Loves urged people to support small businesses on the square by attending a trick-or-treat event on Tuesday from 3 pm to 6 pm. 

Members of Murfreesboro Loves also asked the community to explore and shop on the square this Saturday. 

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A spokesperson said labor and overtime cost the city the most although it may take a couple of weeks to determine how much.