STOP: Owner of Murray Hill business damaged in multiple crashes sends not so subtle message

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Kirby Vacuum Repair and Service Center owner Brent Loy said Thursday a hole carved in plywood on his shop in Murray Hill is how he’s forced to serve his customers.

The plywood is covering damage caused by a car crashing into the business two weeks ago.

“[The truck] hit the brakes, missed the turn, slid like an icicle straight through," Loy said.

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This isn’t the first time Action News Jax has reported on a car hitting the store.

In August reporter Beth Rousseau was with Loy as he sifted through debris left behind when another car slammed into the shop.

Since then, he has gotten creative with his attempt to stop another crash.

A giant mural of a stop sign is painted on the plywood covering the damage from the first crash.

“I put the sign up there to make it look like it’s open. The property management wasn’t fixing the wall and it looked like it was dead and no business was coming in," Loy said.

He said speeding drivers miss the curve on Post Street and slide right into his business.

According to Loy the damage is costing him customers, bringing him to the brink of closure.

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“The state said within two months they should have a blinking light and a guard rail out there,” he said.

If that doesn’t happen, the service center owner said his business might not make it to the start of the year.

Loy said he’ll be giving away 20 new Kirby vacuums for his 20th anniversary by June 1.

He told Action News Jax he’s hoping to raise $200,000 and recreate his customer database, which was lost during the first crash.

Cox Media Group