Dionte Johnson was the victim of vandals and looters this weekend.
But the Short North business owner is responding with a surprising message: not of anger, but hope.
Sole Classics shoe boutique is one of few black-owned businesses in the Short North.
The owner of the trashed store says now is the time for open hearts and understanding.
Sole Classics was the realization of a dream for Dionte Johnson, since his days working retail as a young man.
"So I knew the boutique aspect, the mom and pop type vibe. And I always just dreamed of having my own," he said.
At just 23 years old, he opened his shop in the Short North.
"We made a ton of mistakes then learned from them, and by God's grace we've been able to survive and keep going."
Ten years later, he has a loyal customer base, and a premier address in Columbus' hottest, hippest neighborhood. But this is about more than business for him.
"My biggest goal is to be an example," Johnson said. "I coach high school football. I make sure that before we even speak sports, we make sure we understand we can be more than that. I'm hoping that me owning this shows young people, it doesn't matter who you are or where you're from, you can be down here in the Short North, you can be in the thick of things, you can be at Easton, you can be in Soho."
Friday night, his store was among those trashed and looted as vandals stormed the Short North.
"When I got here, the glass was broken, fixtures all turned over, shoes everywhere. As I pulled up, there were boxes up and down the street from people running with them, so it was a mess. It was a mess"
His first reaction was justifiable anger.
"I wasn't really talking to anybody, I just kind of grabbed a broom and next thing you know there were 20 people around me picking up things and sweeping. So with that much support, it's hard to be angry."
He says there is security footage of the looters.
But instead of prosecuting them- he wants to sit down with them.
"I coach these kids, I mentor them. So I get the blessing of seeing both perspectives. I see a lot of the frustrations, I see the kids growing up with their grandparents just trying to re-raise them and replace things they should be getting from both parents. So I understand the frustrations- I understand the lack of support."
He knows not everyone agrees with him. "I've gotten several comments saying I'm excusing it. That's not where my heart is. I'm not here to debate anyone. This is where my heart is."
And when he boarded up his storefront, he did it with purpose and this message spray-painted on it: "This is on us. For generations we have called the youth stupid, stripped money from their programs, kicked them out of places and ignored them. What would you expect??? Don't lock your doors tighter, open your arms wider. Spread love."
"I don't condone it," Johnson said. "If they were my kids, they would be punished. But it might be running laps. It won't be going to jail over it. We gotta figure out a better way to communicate with the youth."
That includes bridging gaps between law enforcement and the community.
He's the grandson of a police lieutenant, who has also been racially profiled.
"So I understand the aggression and I understand the pain."
Amid the destruction and conflict in our streets, he sees opportunity.
"I think we're gonna have the opportunity to leave the world in a little better place than we had it. So if we let this all go to waste, if we let all the destruction, all the pain, all we've seen this past weekend...if we let it all go to waste, then it was all for nothing. So the time is now. The politicians are listening. Because I think once you un-board (your business), you have to un-board it without the fear of needing to board it up again. So that means everybody needs to chip in on this issue and figure it out."
Johnson said he has received an outpouring of financial support from customers and the community.
He says he plans to share that money with other local businesses damaged by looters.