By Kathy Chouteau
A Richmond business owner is appealing for community support after experiencing a series of misfortunes during the COVID-19 pandemic, including the temporary closure of his business and a serious car accident.
Charles Turner, a.k.a. “ChuckT,” operates Rich City Studios in Market Square Mall in downtown Richmond and offers music production, audio recording, mixing and other related services. Since his business is located inside a mall, ChuckT says his business has been particularly impacted by the COVID-19 shelter-in-place orders.
“Malls have been one of the last things to open outside of bars when the re-openings started to occur,” he said. “With the recent spikes in cases within [Contra Costa County], the mall I’m located in had to close again.”
To make matters worse, ChuckT was seriously injured in a car accident last week. On July 24, someone ran a red light at high speed, totaling his car and leaving him with a broken finger, broken knee and serious lacerations on his left arm, he said. He requires surgery and six months of rehabilitation and is currently confined to a wheelchair.
ChuckT established an initial fundraiser to benefit from a Go Fund Me program that matched $500 in donations for businesses impacted by the pandemic. Little did he know at the time that he would have additional reason for utilizing the fundraising platform. A new Go Fund Me page seeking $5,000 has now been established to help ChuckT get back on his feet, and eventually, into his studio again. To support his fundraiser, click here.
To learn more about ChuckT’s work at Rich City Studios, click here.
