When Keith Cannon opened Valid Kixx back in March he said he did so because in his own words, “just wanted to bring something culturally to this area with the sneakers.”
Unfortunately for Mr.Cannon a group of thieves seem dead set on ruining that vision.
Last Sunday the store was the victim of a smash-and-grab robbery.
“Well got an alert to my phone. I instantly knew that somebody was breaking into the store. I watched some 25 people come through that window right there.”
The robbers came in one after the other in at least 10 cars grabbing anything and everything. “That door in particular is a steel door. They knew they couldn’t get in there. They went around to the back and knocked through the wall to get through that door,”
Manager Brandon Henderson added, “To go through those lengths and those measures just to get some sneakers is crazy,” Henderson said. I don’t really have any words for it.”
Briana Brooks, another store manager said the store has been robbed four times since it opened its doors back in March.
“Another break-in last month that we’re still dealing with. We haven’t even wrapped that up yet,” Brooks said. “We help so many people locally…We’re a local business and we’re giving back. Why us?”
According to Henderson, here are some of the ways Valid Kixx has been giving back to its community:
We’ve got programs, J’s for A’s. We give kids if you’re getting bullied at school, if you’re getting good grades, if you’ve got a good attendance, you can come in here and get a free pair of shoes at any given day,”
The deplorable activity of these reprobates was intensified by the fact the break-in occurred when Valid Kixx was conducting a toy drive for less fortunate children. All of the toys were taken.
Mr. Cannon said he will rebuild the store, but will likely do so in a different location.
I’m not going to let it stop me. There’s still people that need me for motivation. There’s still people who look up to me. I can’t let them see me defeated,
Keith Cannon,owner, Valid Kixx
A GoFundMe has been set up here.
