The owners of a San Jose gaming bar are speaking out, saying they’re fed up with repeated burglaries that are costing them tens of thousands of dollars.
Guildhouse opened on South First Street in 2021 to give people a space to hang out and do what they love: gaming, cards, painting, and enjoying food and drinks.
“This is the great hall and on the other side we have the parlor,” said founder Kevin Wick. “The great hall has, like, a party atmosphere: people playing games, grabbing beers. It’s a lot louder. And then you step into the parlor and the atmosphere absolutely changes.”
But Guildhouse’s owners have been dealing with something that happens to many Bay Area businesses: burglaries. There have been eight in the nearly three years the store has been open.
The latest happened late last month and was captured on security cameras. Thieves cut through the back entrance, broke into the office and wheeled away the safe — all while avoiding alarms and sensors.
Until now, they’ve stayed quiet to avoid being seen as vulnerable. But the owners say they’re tired of it and are now speaking up.
“I think our goal is this will happen less frequently,” Wick said. “Not just to us, but our neighbors as well.”
It got the attention of the mayor and the city’s new police chief. They showed up late Friday afternoon and vowed to help with more foot and bike patrols. There was also hope for additional staffing in the future.
“I will be speaking with investigators to make sure we’re following any leads that could lead us to identify the suspects,” said San Jose Police Chief Paul Joseph.
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The store can get pretty packed on a Friday night and those who frequent the store say it feels like a community for them.
“I love this place,” said San Jose resident Ethan Peake. “It’s just really a fun place to come and hang out.”
The owners say they’re also reinforcing entrances and getting overnight security.
