Ferguson, Missouri Restaurants Close in Anticipation of Grand Jury Verdict

Earlier this summer, Ferguson, Missouri was the site of many protests, arrests, and political unrest after the police shooting of unarmed teenager Michael Brown. Later today, an announcement will be made, revealing a grand jury's decision over whether or not to charge officer Darren Wilson in the August 2014 killing — and many local businesses have announced their intention to temporarily close as Missouri Governor Jay Nixon has preemptively declared a state of emergency. In preparation for protests, many school districts have cancelled classes and activities for this evening, with some closing schools tomorrow.

St. Louis Post-Dispatch restaurant critic Ian Froeb has been sharing restaurants' updates via Twitter: Restaurateur Gerard Craft, who owns St. Louis hotspots Niche and Pastaria, among others, announced his entire restaurant group would close its doors tonight. (St. Louis sits about eight miles away from Ferguson.) Journalists in nearby Clayton, Missouri captured restaurant owners near the city's Buzz Westfall Justice Center boarding up their windows. And in Ferguson proper, many in-town businesses will also shutter, citing the safety of its employees: Ferguson Brewing Company announced it would close tonight, asking its guests to "keep our community in your prayers." Just a few blocks away, Cathy's Kitchen Restaurant & Diner has announced an indefinite closure: