PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Stores in Port Richmond were ready for the worst Tuesday night after the Derek Chauvin verdict, but they were pleasantly surprised to learn they were overprepared.
The Imperial Plaza off of Aramingo Avenue has been a target this past year for looters, but not on Tuesday.
In fact, with many stores already boarded up and closed by the time the verdict was read, there were more police officers than other people in this shopping center throughout the night. A dozen or so cops showed up on bikes and stayed for the long haul.
Once the sun went down, police cars posted up in this parking lot. Other than that it was quiet, with no complaints from the handful of business that stayed open.
“Yes, definitely relieved," said one beer store owner from across the street. "Compared to last year? For sure.”
He was very happy he didn’t have to go through that again.
“I had to defend my store all night," he said of the unrest last summer. "The cops came to protect everything, but they’re just short the manpower.”
This time around, he hired private security.