HOUSTON – Owning Marquis II Lounge in West University Place is part of Al Jara’s American dream.
"I have worked here since 1998, I started as door guy and worked my way up until I purchased the bar in 2018," Jara said.
Jara said he put everything he had to make the lounge one of the city's happening places.
"It was double the work and hours when we purchased it," he said.
But just like many business owners, Jara took a hit when the city ordered the shutdown of restaurants and bars to curb the coronavirus outbreak.
To keep his business afloat, Jara started selling gift cards and merchandise with the bar's logo.
The sales helped him make $7,000, which he stored in his office. But Saturday morning, the hard-earned money and the safe were gone.
"Two steps forward, ten steps back," Jara said.
Jara didn't have cameras inside his office, but cameras outside caught a glimpse of the suspects, who drove in with their car, walked in and out with the safe in less than four minutes.
"I think they knew what they were doing. They knew where my safe was. They knew where I had cameras and where I didn't," Jara said.
This robbery comes at a time when business owners are struggling to keep the doors open. Jara said he is going to have start from scratch, but he isn't giving up on his dream.
“We are going to work, and with our faith, we are going to get these doors back open,” Jara said.
You can support the Marquis II Lounge by contributing to their GoFundMe campaign.