On April 13th and 14th, Personal Beast Pet Supply invites people to shop at the store to help fund significant storefront repairs after a person smashed most of their windows. Since January 2024, staff have had to progressively cover the storefront in plywood at 8119 SE Stark Street, replacing broken glass from the acts of a vandal. Artistic pet images decorate the wood panels, while a handwritten sign assures people that the boarded-up shop is open. The store’s owner, Sara Philbrook, is now working to restore the glass and protect it with expensive polycarbonate coverings. This project is more than the shop’s budget can cover, even with support from the building’s owner. So, they worked with local supporters and vendors to develop a fundraiser with multiple ways to participate.
Personal Beast works with family-owned pet food companies and other vendors who regularly support the independent stores selling their products. Some of those brands will donate to the storefront repair for each pound of food sold on April 13th and 14th. Other vendors and supporters have donated goods for baskets that people can try to win in a raffle. Those without a pet can buy pet food to donate to a charity partner or contribute through the GoFundMe campaign.
Many Montavilla businesses have suffered broken windows. Sometimes criminals smash glass during a burglary, but this recent string of damage comes from vandalism, and its frequency is a dramatic change from what the Personal Beast has endured during its fourteen years. “This is the first time we’ve felt the financial burden of vandalism. Specifically, our door was broken the first time last summer,” recalled Philbrook. Other businesses had the same experience in June 2023. Glazers came out and replaced the door glass, and business returned to normal. However, in January 2024, a person was seen on camera breaking the windows next to the door. Then, over the next few months, the person smashed two more windows and the door. Philbrook says the video shows what looks to be the same person throwing rocks. Not all the rocks break the windows on each attempt, and the person never enters the building after breaking the glass.
Although these attacks span months and seem focused, this is not the only store facing similar vandalism. “Unfortunately, I think it’s location. I don’t think that we’re being targeted. I don’t feel like there’s anything that we’ve specifically done that makes us more likely to get hit than another business. I think it’s just that we are in proximity to a major artery,” explained Philbrook. The store is one of the closest storefronts to SE 82nd Avenue and next to the McDonald’s parking lot. Philbrook said they have witnessed several drug-related crimes around the block and feel that their proximity to that behavior may contribute to the recent string of trouble.
Regardless of the issues, this pet store has served the community since 2008, and its owner is committed to remaining in Montavilla. “We’re really happy to be here regardless of what’s going on. As frustrating as it is, knowing that it’s just one person, it’s not like it’s something that we have to look forward to forever, and hopefully she can get some help,” said Philbrook. “Obviously, we’ll be pressing charges, but I understand that mental illness is a real crisis here, and my parents struggled with drug addiction. So, I have a lot of empathy for people who are in active addiction and can’t get services. I hope we can find a way to get her some help and move on from this situation.”
For Personal Beast, the first step in moving forward is replacing the glass panels. However, to protect the windows, they will install Riot Glass® on the outside of existing frames, creating a flexible barrier designed to take the impact of rocks without breaking. Other Portland stores have used this product, and it offers other benefits over cheaper solutions. “It’s one of the only polycarbonates that doesn’t yellow with direct sun exposure, which is why we chose it,” explained Philbrook. “We have this lovely southern exposure here, and any other polycarbonate would discolor so quickly that it wouldn’t be worth it.”
Sara Philbrook and the staff at Personal Beast have maintained a good attitude about the situation and hope the community’s support will help them restore the shop they love. People able to support the storefront improvements should shop there on April 13th and 14th, buy a raffle ticket, or contribute to the GoFundMe campaign. Personal Beast’s renowned shop cat will appreciate any help repairing the windows so they can return to watching over Stark Street again.
Correction: An earlier version of this article had an incorrect event date.
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