Donations pour in for Anna's Tailoring after robbery forces owner's early retirement
Local businesses and community members have opened their wallets to help the beloved owner of a south Minneapolis tailoring business, who was the victim of a robbery that has forced her early retirement.
Anna, the owner of Anna’s Tailoring at 4728 Cedar Ave. S., planned to retire this spring. After her phone, money, keys and car were stolen last Wednesday, she will retire earlier than expected.
A GoFundMe campaign, launched by neighboring business Carbone's Pizza, has far surpassed its goal of $2,500, with more than $22,000 raised and more than 500 donors as of Tuesday morning. Anna’s son, Peter Yong Ra, is listed as the beneficiary of the fundraiser.
Anna’s Tailoring had been open in the area for 25 years. At the beginning of the pandemic, Anna sewed and donated more than 1,000 masks to local hospitals, according to the fundraiser.
Anna's birth name is Jong Hwa Ra, but she chose to call herself Anna after moving to the U.S. and realizing Americans had trouble pronouncing her name, according to a 2014 article by the Twin Cities Daily Planet.
“Over the years, she has been a cherished part of our community, altering wedding gowns, prom dresses, or tailoring everyday wardrobes,” the GoFundMe reads. “Let's show her some support and let her know how much we appreciated her being a part of our neighborhood.”
