In the early evening of January 2nd, a person brandishing a handgun robbed Personal Beast Pet Supply at 8119 SE Stark Street. The assailant reportedly struck the store employee across the face with the butt of his gun and discharged the firearm while grabbing the cash drawer. The suspect ran off after destroying the store’s Point of Sale (POS) system, gaining only a modest amount of cash kept in the store. The ricocheting bullet went through the front counter but fortunately failed to hit the people and animals inside the shop. Portland Police officers arrived within a minute of the 911 call, just missing the suspect. Police stayed onsite for several hours, processing the physical evidence left behind.
Pet supply store owner Sara Philbrook is baffled by this first-of-a-kind crime at her business. The store has suffered extensive property damage in the past from a habitual window breaker and the occasional shoplifter or other non-threatening theft. Still, the store has remained a safe space for her employees and their animals. “We’ve had people come in and steal things, really minor shoplifting over the years,” recalled Philbrook. “Even when we had the vandalism, it was just vandalism. We’ve never felt physically threatened like this before.” Philbrook explained that this type of crime does not make sense because they do not deal in cash often, with nearly 90 percent of customers paying by credit card. The POS only has enough money to cover the occasional transaction. At a replacement cost of $2,000, the year-old cash register equipment destroyed in the robbery was worth nearly 20 times what Philbrook estimates the perpetrator stole.
Since 2008, the pet supply store has served as Historic Montavilla Downtown’s closest storefront to SE 82nd Avenue. Sara Philbrook feels that could have contributed to why the assailant targeted the shop. The location generates less foot traffic than other stores on SE Stark Street, and it is next to a fast food parking lot that suffers from issues with drug use. “You could see him on the camera. He was scoping out the neighborhood for a while. He probably just saw us as the weakest link. We’re not super busy, not like a restaurant,” said Philbrook. “I feel like it was a fluke. I don’t think that it’s indicative of any sort of uptick in gun violence. I want to say that we just got unlucky.” She will adjust how they staff the store, requiring two people on shift at all times. All the store staff enjoy the neighborhood, and Philbrook appreciates her shop’s landlord but would consider relocating further west on the street to lessen their exposure to future crimes.
Personal Beast Pet Supply is back open on its regular schedule. The injured staff member will take time off to recuperate and process the traumatic events. People wanting to support the store can shop for pet supplies or visit to wish them well. Some customers have delivered plants and cards in a show of support. If pet owners do not need supplies but want to help counter Personal Beast’s losses, Sara Philbrook offers paid pet nutrition plan consultations. The store’s website details the service and scheduling options. The Personal Beast team appreciates Montavilla’s reaction to this event and is thankful they can recover from the injuries sustained. “I’m glad to be in this community regardless of the situations that happened,” said Philbrook. “Montavilla is pretty much the sweet spot. If this had happened in any other neighborhood, I don’t think we would get the sort of support and community outpouring we get here.”
