re: St Louis Mayor wants to hold business owners accountable for violent crime near stores

I would suggest to these business owners get out while you can. Load up your entire inventory and put sheet metal over the windows and doors. Put a for sale sign on top of the sheet metal and then floor it.

You cannot survive in that type of political environment. The land is worthless. We have the same situation here in BR.
For example check out Choctaw Dr. between Greenwell Springs Rd and Plank Road. There are some good businesses there, mostly dealing with concrete, electricity, and welding. They keep no cash on the premises and the tools/equipment are secured. If these businesses leave for some reason no one will be rushing in to purchase the land to build a Costco or a starbucks. You will never see a Bucees or an Olive Garden there.
There is one gas station/convenience store at the corner of Choctaw and Foster. There is a Popeye's at Acadian and Choctaw.