Martin's Appliances & Furniture on Medgar Evers Boulevard is closed. Owner Patrick Martin apparently shut down the store after he suffered 15 burglaries in the last six months. He complained to the City Council JPD was of no help to him.
The Kingfish went by the store today in an effort to interview (the phones were disconnected) Mr. Martin only to find the store completely closed. There was nary a night light in the place as it is now forever darkened on the boulevard, another business run out of business by crime and incompetence.
JJ reported on April 7:
Patrick Martin owns Martin's Furniture and Appliances on Medgar Evers Boulevard. Martin's has been in business for over 60 years. Thieves have stolen merchandise. They have stolen checks and used white-out to cash them. A truck was used to break into the store. Suffering through it all, Mr. Martin provided JPD with videos.
The store owner charged JPD with doing nothing. He said they don't take fingerprints nor perform much of a crime scene investigation. There is a crime center camera down the street but he said he doubts JPD has even looked at it (What do you say about that, Mr. Fox?).Ward 3 Councilman Kenneth Stokes spoke up in support of Patrick Martin. He said Jackson can not keep losing businesses. "The sales tax in this city in the last 20 years has gone down almost 30 percent. We cannot keep losing businesses. Cities need sales tax; counties do not receive sales tax. But people like Martins closing down, it's going to hurt us even more. We're not going to be able to pay firemen, policemen, and others because poor people cannot pay these taxes," said Mr. Stokes.Unfortunately, no one from JPD came up to speak to Mr. Martin.NEXT!
Good job, Jackson. You done good.
Transcript.
Patrick Martin: Good morning. I’m Patrick
Martin. I represent Martin’s Furniture and Appliances. We have a
business off Medgar Evers. We’ve been in business for over 60 years. And
I’m here because of all the break-ins we keep having, and we can’t get
anything done. We’ve been broken into probably 15 times in the past six
months. The prior year, probably another 10 times.
We’ve given over video—videos of people coming in, breaking in. We’ve
given over the tools that they used, trying to get them to come in and
get fingerprints off of it, and nothing ever gets done. We were
broken into not last night, the night before, and I had the officers
come out there and they had merchandise out in our parking lot that they
had taken from our store. And I said they were chrome rims, and I’m
like, "You could get fingerprints off the merchandise," and they
left—they didn’t even take anything with them.
I mean, I don’t know what else to do on it. It’s time and time again. I
give them video evidence. And one time, they came in and stole issued
checks from our location, and they used White-Out and reissued the
checks and put it in their own bank account. And the money went into
their bank account, and I’ve told police this, and they still don’t get
anything done, and they have the person's bank account information.
I just don’t know where to go with it. There’s been other times where
we’ve recovered something like a sledgehammer that they used, and we tell the police, and it takes them almost a day and a half to even show up. I mean, we’ve been there for 60 years. How many other businesses are like that in Jackson?
We’ve had our front doors—they pulled a truck up to it with chains and
actually ripped the front doors out. To replace that is very expensive.
They have a camera like a half a block down the street. And I tell the
police, "You all probably have a video of the people that are doing it."
And they always tell me, "We’ll check in on it and get back to you." Nothing ever gets done.
And that’s about all I have to say. I know my brother’s here too, and
he wanted to talk about it also. But thanks for hearing me.
[00:03:16] Council Member Kenneth Stokes: Thank you. Mr.
President, this is the company that we had on the agenda, and Hometown
BBQ is at the Marshall Shopping Center that we're trying to save. You
know, this company is a win-win for inner-city neighborhoods. People
come, they're walking distance. They have layaway, things that poor
people need. And to allow criminals to run good people out of these
neighborhoods is absolutely wrong. We need to run the criminals out of
these neighborhoods and keep helping people like Martin.
I just hope—and I’m going to see if we can meet with the US Attorney’s office and everybody else, because the
sales tax in this city in the last 20 years has gone down almost 30
percent. We cannot keep losing businesses. Cities need sales tax;
counties do not receive sales tax. But people like Martins closing down,
it's going to hurt us even more. We're not going to be able to pay
firemen, policemen, and others because poor people cannot pay these
taxes. What we got to do is run those people that's doing this.
The Hometown BBQ, Mr. President, has a copy, photos of the gentleman
doing it on the bicycle. I think from our investigation, someone bought
three houses in the neighborhood, and one of them is hiding them—they go
there, young thief living with grandma. And as that thief lives with
grandma, they create havoc throughout that neighborhood. And because, as
I stated, the zone, we need to go back to the beat system where we can
see police officers.
Medgar Evers needs Martins. I'll say it again: Medgar Evers Boulevard
needs Martins. And I know they have a for-sale sign now. If we don't get
these criminals out of these inner-city neighborhoods, there's not
going to be anything left. We lost McDonald’s on Woodrow Wilson because
some fool out there shooting guns. We lost Kentucky Fried Chicken on
Woodrow Wilson—who takes chicken out of the inner-city neighborhood? We
lost the drugstores because people go in there stealing. We got to give
these businesses a chance to succeed.
And I just hope, Mr. Martin, that y'all will meet with Mr.
Tillotson—don’t leave the meeting, kind of talk to him—and we can
probably get a plan. And as you said, cameras are there, and people know
and have an idea who's doing it. We're trying to get a reward offered
to make people talk a little more. Once the reward is offered, it's only
if that person is caught and convicted. It's not going to be issued any
other way. But we hope y'all will reconsider leaving the community
because the community is not part of this stealing and trying to run you
out of business. The community supports Martin's. Thank you.
[00:06:34] Council Member Tina Clay: Mr. Martin, we want
you to stay in the community, and we hope that crime prevention will be
something that works and that we can prevent crimes in the community.
And we appreciate you in the community.
[00:06:47] Council Member Kenneth Stokes: I was telling the
brother, we're not going to let him speak because he didn't sign up. But
could I say to Pastor Thurman, this is an outstanding preacher, young
man. I had a chance to do a revival a couple weeks ago...
51 comments:
Jackson hasn’t cared about keeping business in the city for many years. It’s the city that just doesn’t care. That should be their motto.
Doesn't the police dept. work for the mayor? They didn't care.
JPD shouldn't have to look far for the perps.
I imagine his financial losses will continue because he will never sell that building for a reasonable price. Another casualty -- in a long list of casualties -- from years of poor leadership.
I thought the new mayor was going to fix this; guess he is focusing on the zoo.
He’s white. That’s why the city doesn’t care.
The new fancy talking chief can ask those hoodlums to stop and solve the problem. Pass me the bong.
Sales Tax Diversions to Jackson*
July 2005 to March 2006 = $28,190,442
July 2015 to March 2016 = $24,033,632
July 2025 to March 2026 = $22,773,161
* For JPS grads, 'progressives' and cultural social media stalwarts: Mississippi's cities receive back from the state 18.5% (.185 cents) of every sales tax dollar generated within the municipality.
Real estate in Jackson is more often than not a losing financial proposition.
I agree with @2:59 If you are white it doesn't matter what you say. I am not sure when people will understand the people that are left in the third world section of Jackson don't care if they don't have anything. They all live in section 8 so who needs appliances
2:49pm Ding Ding Ding. This really puts into perspective how bad the decision is to float the zoo. Should be spending every cent possible on stopping crime. Fuck the bad roads, everywhere has bad roads. The bad roads don't get fixed until the crime gets solved and the tax base comes back.
On the bright side, now the libtards can complain the area is a furniture and appliance desert.
For the life of me I can't ANY light at the end of Jackson's long dark tunnel .
And now certain folks are going to start crying about a "Furniture and appliances desert" just like they do about a "Food Desert" when the thugs run the businesses off ...
Please stop wasting state tax dollars on investments in the City that doesn't care
I wouldn’t throw this all on the City Council. The city has been on fire at least since the 90’s. You could have a security max facility and no customers would go to Medgar Evers. Just tear it all down and bring a data center in.
True dat.
The city continues to shrivel and die, offering less and less for the inhabitants within. And, because the criminals don't get caught - or, get caught and released - the crime expands outward into the surrounding areas. Maybe that's JPD's strategy -- let the surrounding counties and municipals round-up the criminals.
I hate that for Mr Martin. Work so hard to get a business going and then this. I hope he is successful in whatever he does next.
Just more proof that the Ciity of Jackson is anti-business
I m so happy I left Jackson almost 30 years ago and don’t have to deal with this kind of crap. Martin would be better off moving his business to pearl
Will the last person leaving Jackson, please turn out the lights…
Jackson, the city with(out) soul.
If nothing else, can’t a bank be held responsible for depositing a check with white-out on it? A sizable business check at that?
FURNITURE DESERT in 3, 2, 1....
The local Section 8 crowd doesn't need furniture, so they may have sold their loot on Marketplace.
He'll do a far better business locating south (Byram), west (Clinton), east (Brandon/Pearl), or north (Madison/Ridgeland).
As long as Josh McManus gets paid, that's all that matters. Right Chandler?
I called 911 today on Briarwood Drive and no one answered. What do you expect when 911 does not answer the phone. It rang 20 times and went to a busy signal.
Does Jacktown really not want to have any white folks?
No data center would even consider the Jack.
The “furniture desert” references the “cultural” this and thats is telling about the “behind the screen” ninjas this blog has. No, all ninjas aren’t Black. Food deserts are real…period. Poor people in Jackson (because you ninjas forget that there are poor whites in Jackson and Mississippi) need and should have places to shop for groceries that aren’t over the river and through the woods. A lot of poor people don’t have adequate transportation and Jatran is a joke. Don’t get me wrong this place deserves to be in business as long as possible. Crime shouldn’t be a deterrent. But blatantly calling Megar Evers Blvd “the boulevard” in their commercials tells me everything I need to know about the ownership. Commenters argue with ya me maws!
I'm actually surprised the Martin family stayed at that location for so many years.
A lot of decent folks that are stuck in that part of Mogadishu
...( sorry, I meant that part of Jackson)...now have yet another hardship.
I'm sure Muhahamet Akbar Skyhook will be ranting within hours.
April 23, 2026 at 3:35 PM
Adjusted for inflation your 28m is over 46m today.
" I called 911 today on Briarwood Drive and no one answered. What do you expect when 911 does not answer the phone. It rang 20 times and went to a busy signal."
They were "on break".
I can honestly say that as I briefly worked for the City of Jackson.
The "government employee culture" of the COJ has trained quite a few of the younger employees to believe they are entitled to hour long "breaks" every 30 minutes.
To hell with answering a 911 call ... the dispatcher is "on break".
Stokes for Mayor. He understands what's going on, and would at least try to resolve situations like this.
Maybe Councilman Stokes will name a street after Mr Martin. He obviously has done nothing more for his ward in last 30 years.
Jackson hates businesses not owned by blacks. That story about the Callaway students fighting at the convenience store across the street - most of the comments are about how those "foreigners" shouldn't be making money off of black people.
Here's the inflation adjusted numbers via BLS.gov calculator
July 2005 to March 2006 = $28,190,442 = $46.9 million adjusted
July 2015 to March 2016 = $24,033,632 = $32.9 million adjusted
July 2025 to March 2026 = $22,773,161 = -51% since 2006; -31% since 2016
I hope everyone at this point relaizes nothing is going to change in Jackson. The only thing is we have a new mayor who is not a communist. The same issues will plague the city until the third world culture changes. Anybody who thinks otherwise is an idiot.
There it is. I said this would happen amidst all the Hallelujah Chorus after Horhne’s s-election, that Stokes would soon again become Jackson’s new savior.
Stokes will never be mayor because he will never run for mayor.
What will the new Chief do. Not counting on to much.
Maybe the new Chief can at least get 911 to answer the damn phone.
Can we ever stop shooting ourselves in the foot? I can't think of another state whose citizens publicly criticize their state, especially their capital. It's no different than a family airing the dirty laundry which only makes the family look dysfunctional. And, do you miss that's it's obvious to others anywhere that we have a problem with too many racists still among us? THAT was our rather awful reputation all through the 60's. It took over a decade to live that down and now we're erasing whatever good will we'd gained. News flash: international corporations have executives who aren't all white. Indeed, pure blood Caucasians are a minority group and I'll bet few of you aren't as purely Caucasian as you think. You do know Jones County folks didn't all stay in Jones, right? Even the world's royalty intermarried enough with the Portuguese Hapsburgs not to all be lily white. I could trace my genealogy back for centuries as before DNA made it more obvious how lily white my entire family is. We also all have enough sense not to be racists! We are acutely aware deliberately ignorant jerks, sociopaths and crazy come in all skin colors!
If it was another demographic 3 On Your Side would have been asking JPD some questions to remedy the matter. White folks know where they stand in Jackson and don’t reach out for help.
No one to fight for the Martins except the Martins.
I'm sorry but Stokes has no time for white people. Even for those of us in his ward. He hates us. Ex. A - his support for Latrice Rogers who runs the public nuisance known as Taste.
6:11, I can help you with your question. I opened my mother's bank statement, the balance was off by thousands. We looked thru it and there were some odd checks listed. We ran to the bank, what is going on?
1) Bank statement listed several entries for the same check number
2) In looking at the copies on the bank statement, it was extremely obvious that someone had taken a check, washed out all but the signature, and re-wrote the check.
3) Before they re-wrote the check, they made several photocopies of it, re-wrote all of them, and cashed all of them.
And every single item was not caught by the bank.
We signed an affidavit, the funds were returned to my mom, and the case was turned over to the police.
So, no, the bank doesn't notice. And I'm pretty sure the person(s) went to one of those check cashing places.
9:42, What does your sermon have to do with Martin’s furniture? Racism is what put them out of business. No advocate for them but they were serving the black community and no appreciation shown. It doesn’t make the news when white people are the victims.
The corrupt SPLC don’t intervene on Caucasians behalf.
No one cares, really.
6:11 for the daily win.
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