Cannabis Shops Report More Than $130,000 in Losses Amid Portland Looting

Three of the four liquor stores hit during riots, according to the OLCC, are owned by people of color.

Bonfires set in the streets of downtown Portland on May 30, 2020. (Wesley Lapointe)
By Nigel Jaquiss

Twenty-five licensed cannabis retailers reported $133,288 in losses, mostly to theft, to the Oregon Liquor Control Commission from looting related to protests of police brutality.

The biggest part of that total came from Serra's downtown location at 220 SW 1st Ave. ($47,833). And most of the looting occurred in one night—May 29—as crowds dispersed by police smashed windows and raided store shelves across downtown.

Portland liquor stores suffered fewer losses—about $43,000 from four stores. Most of the damage came at the OLCC licensed store at 925 SW 10th Ave., which suffered losses of $35,000. Three of the four liquor stores hit, according to the OLCC, are owned by people of color.

None of the principals of the most affected stores could be reached for comment.
Some of the looting appears to have little direct relation to the downtown protest and subsequent riot, and instead looks like crimes of opportunity while police were otherwise occupied.

Two of the liquor stores that got hit, for instance, are Pearl Liquor ($2,736 in losses) at 900 NW Lovejoy St. and Hollywood Liquor ($2,700) at 3028 NE Sandy Blvd., far from the Justice Center downtown.

Corrrection: the print version of this story includes an incorrect figure for losses at Farma a dispensary on Southeast Hawthorne Blvd. WW regrets the error.

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