Annie Rose loves Lowertown. She also loves the exposed brick of her coffee shop, restaurant and bar and the awesome view of the historic Union Depot across the light-rail tracks.
Too bad the large picture window that frames that view will be covered in plywood for several more weeks, thanks to a burglar who last month smashed the window and a door, stealing rolls of quarters and a few bottles. It was the fourth time in a little more than a year since Lost Fox opened that it's been hit by thieves, leaving Rose — and several of her neighbors who've also been victimized — wondering if anything can be done to stop the cycle of crime.
"We're not going anywhere. This is what we want to do. My husband and I wanted to make community here," Rose said of her business. "I'm not surprised. I'm just frustrated that it keeps happening."
Property crimes and burglaries in St. Paul are down citywide and downtown compared with the same time last year, police say. But not in Lowertown, where both are up slightly.
Rose said she and others have also watched as people use and deal drugs in the open. It's time for Lowertown residents and business owners to make some noise, she said: At some point, if enough people are scared away from Union Depot and CHS Field, maybe the status quo will change.
"There are solutions out there. Something needs to be done," Rose said. "What we can do, the people who live and work in the neighborhood, is speak with our votes. And speak with our money."
Mark Toth has owned Urban Wok since 2018. Located next door to Lost Fox, Toth said he was drawn to the history and vibe of the neighborhood. But his business, too, was broken into — on the same April day as Rose's. And he, too, is tired of sweeping up broken glass and replacing stolen property.
Toth said he keeps no cash on the premises, "but every single time, they've stolen all of our tablets. ... It keeps happening, it's very frustrating."
