Emily Winston

“Had I known what was [going to] happen... I probably would not have signed this lease, and I would have built this elsewhere,”

Emily Winston · said date not stated · reported 2026-08-28

Winston said she regretted choosing the location and would have built elsewhere had she known.

“No one on my staff should be picking up human excrement from the sidewalk in front of our property or used needles. This is not what I built this business here to do,”

Emily Winston · said date not stated · reported 2026-08-28

Winston said her staff should not have to clean up human excrement and used needles.

“And strangely enough, people don't want to bring their kids around the corner from this because it's pretty scary.”

Emily Winston · said date not stated · reported 2026-08-28

Winston said families avoid the area because of the encampment.

“And this is just, it’s rough, and it’s really exhausting, and it’s just gone on way too long.”

Emily Winston · said date not stated · reported 2026-08-28

Winston expressed frustration over ongoing conditions near her business.

“We have this awesome patio. We say, 'Come get a bagel and watch our robots make bagels.’ It's a fun family sort of event,”

Emily Winston · said date not stated · reported 2026-08-28

Winston described her business's patio and robot bagel-making as a family event.

“There's been feces found all over on various properties. It's been found on our property. I've had to clean it up personally before. Needles, very scary threats to staff that work in the different businesses here,”

Emily Winston · said date not stated · reported 2026-08-28

Winston described finding feces, needles, and threats to staff near her business.

“I know it's frustrating for them,”

Emily Winston · said date not stated · reported 2026-08-28

Winston acknowledged the frustration city officials face over encampment-related lawsuits.

“We're all paying rent, we're paying very significant fees and trying hard to make successful, thriving businesses here,”

Emily Winston · said date not stated · reported 2026-08-28

Winston urged city leaders to clear the encampment, noting businesses pay significant rent and fees.

“My staff had to beg someone to get out of our dumpster. They had actually gone in our dumpster and closed the lid on top of them,”

Emily Winston · said date not stated · reported 2026-08-28

Winston recounted an incident where someone climbed into the business's dumpster.