A Hamilton man is concerned that his store may be the latest target in a local war against gentrification after his sandwich shop was vandalized three times before the doors even opened.

"I don't even know what they're after," said Richie Khanna, who is opening the Meltwich shop with his brother Rohin on Barton Street East near Kenilworth Avenue North.

Bordered by two weed shops, the store's bright orange face and trendy wooden exterior replaces the Bar-Ken Restaurant & Bar. It sits on a street littered with boarded up buildings - though not as many as before.

"We're in the midst of an unprecedented revitalization," local councillor Sam Merulla said.

Khanna says he spent $25,000 to polish up the store to give the area a facelift. So he was surprised three weeks ago when his construction crew told him the windows on the storefront were smashed.

Windows were smashed, doors jammed and paint strewn all over the front of Meltwich Inc., the owner says. (Salma Ibrahim/CBC) "I didn't think anything of it at first," he said.

But when his crew told him that someone had jammed the lock to the unit a week later, he grew concerned.

Then, on Sunday night, Khanna got a call that someone had splashed white paint all over the bright orange front of the shop. At this point, the damage from the vandalism reached $10,000, he says.

After filing a police report detailing all three incidents, Khanna says he spoke with Merulla, his local councillor.

The ward 4 councillor believes the incidents fit the pattern of local anarchists who he claims used the same methods on other stores on Barton St. and Locke St.

"They are a disgrace to this city and a nuisance beyond comprehension," he asserted.

This user-submitted video shows damage to a storefront caused by a group of vandals in Hamilton 0:32 In March, a group of about 30 people dressed in black with their faces covered walked through the streets carrying a banner that said, "We Are The Ungovernables." Police and witnesses say the mob damaged property, while setting off fireworks in the streets.

"It's a little silly," Khanna said. "You need businesses for this city to function. Without businesses, there would be no city."

Khanna, who was born and raised in Hamilton not far from where he's setting up his shop says it's frustrating to be the target of such attacks.

"Do they even know who they're targetting? It could be their next-door neighbour."

The Barton street area has long been economically depressed with many vacant storefronts, but it is attracting increasing interest from small businesses and the city has increased the attention it is paying to the area.

Khanna, born and raised in Hamilton, says it's frustrating to be the target of such attacks. (Salma Ibrahim/CBC) The co-owner of the Meltwich franchise, which has only ten stores across Canada, says the attacks are disappointing.

"Hamilton is a neighbourhood that's always been under the radar," she said. "We were happy to be a part of the blossoming culinary scene."

But we've gotten a outpouring of support on social media and other places after these attacks that make me hopeful," she added.

The brothers have multiple businesses in the city including the architectural design firm R&R.

"I believe in Hamilton and will continue my growth to be a part of this growing city," Khanna said.

He plans to open Meltwich's doors on Sep. 15.

