He has only been open for a few weeks, however the incidents continue to mount at a new coffee and wine bar in Quinte West.
Twenty-one-year-old St. Theresa Secondary grad Taylor Russett opened the Grind and Vine (downtown Trenton, next to the Farmers Market) in late October, and has already seen acts of vandalism, property damage, arson, and now a possible hate crime.
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He says the most recent incident was a homophobic slur on the building.
“The target at first was not directly towards my business. There are other downtown businesses, affected by this vandalism. But this most recent was targeted towards myself and my sexual identity as a gay individual.”
Russett says it is important to fight through this kind of intolerance.
“I think it sets an example for A: young entrepreneurs, and B: LGBTQ members, and in general business owners that we need to be able to stay resilient and always think of the good points in business.”
Quinte West OPP say they are investigating the multiple incidents, but cannot comment further at this time.
Quinte West Mayor Jim Harrison says he is very disappointed by the actions against The Grind and Vine.
“I’m very saddened by the hate crime that took place in the area of The Grind. I certainly believe that we are an inclusive city and this is not what any of us support.”
He says they will do whatever they can to support Russett get back on his feet.
The photos below were submitted to Quinte News
