The restaurant owner in UTC called me last week, panicking. “Black Friday’s in two months and I just realized we have no plan for security. What should I do?”
This happens every year. Business owners get so focused on inventory, staffing, and sales goals that security becomes an afterthought. Then November hits and suddenly they’re dealing with crowds, shoplifters, aggressive customers, and parking lot incidents.
Don’t be that guy calling me three days before Thanksgiving.
Been doing retail security in Sarasota for 12+ years. Holiday season is when everything goes sideways – more people, more money, more stress, more problems. But it’s also when you make most of your yearly profit. Can’t afford to screw it up.
What’s Different About Sarasota Holiday Shopping
We’re not Orlando with theme park crowds or Miami with party tourists. Sarasota holiday shopping is snowbirds with money, locals buying gifts, and families making day trips from Tampa.
University Town Center gets absolutely slammed. That mall plus all the surrounding stores – Target, Best Buy, Barnes & Noble. Parking’s a nightmare, crowds everywhere, perfect setup for problems.
St. Armands Circle brings different issues. Wealthy tourists spend big money on jewelry and designer stuff. High-value targets, limited parking, people walking around with expensive shopping bags.
Downtown Sarasota has the local crowd but also gets tourists who think they’re in some small safe town. Reality check – it’s still a city with city problems.
Waterside Place is newer so people assume it’s automatically safer. New doesn’t mean secure.
Even Venice Main Street gets crazy busy during holidays. Tourists love that “old Florida” charm but criminals love easy targets.
Holiday Shopping Security Problems I’ve Seen
Parking lot robberies. People loading cars with shopping bags, distracted by phones, not paying attention. Easy targets.
Shoplifting spikes are huge. Crowded stores, overwhelmed staff, expensive merchandise everywhere. Shoplifters know this is their Christmas too.
Employee theft goes up. Holiday workers, seasonal temps, stressed regular employees. More people handling cash and inventory.
Aggressive customers. Holiday stress makes people crazy. Seen fistfights over parking spaces, arguments over returns getting physical.
Credit card fraud. Busy cashiers, long lines, people in hurry. Perfect time for scammers using stolen cards.
Fake returns. People trying to return stuff they never bought, items stolen from other stores, elaborate return fraud schemes.
Car break-ins. Visible shopping bags in cars, people shopping for hours while cars sit unattended.
A jewelry store on St. Armands got hit three times in December a couple years back. Same group, different methods each time. Started with shoplifting, then moved to smash-and-grab, finally tried to rob customers in the parking lot.
The Economics of Holiday Security
Retailers make 20-30% of annual revenue during the holiday season. Losing even one day to theft, vandalism, or security incidents can kill your whole year.
Security guard costs: $15-25/hour depending on armed vs unarmed, experience level, holiday premium rates.
Potential losses without security:
- Shoplifting can cost 2-3% of sales
- Employee theft averages $1,500 per incident
- One robbery could cost $5,000-50,000+ in cash and inventory
- Insurance claims, downtime, customer confidence
The store manager at Westfield told me they budget an extra 40% for security during holidays because it’s worth it. One incident can cost more than a whole season of guards.
What Actually Works for Different Sarasota Businesses
Retail stores in the UTC area – definitely need security guards during peak times. Too crowded for just cameras. Armed vs unarmed depends on the value of merchandise and cash handling.
Restaurants – usually unarmed guards at night, especially weekends. Handle drunk customers, parking lot problems, keep staff safe during closing.
Jewelry stores, high-end boutiques – armed security makes sense. You’re selling stuff worth thousands per item.
Art galleries downtown – depends on clientele but usually unarmed works. More about customer service and watching for suspicious behavior.
Smaller shops on Main Street – might not need full-time guards but consider peak hour coverage or shared security with other businesses.
Start Planning Now, Not Thanksgiving Week
September/October:
- Figure out your peak hours, days, seasons
- Budget for security costs
- Start interviewing security companies
- Train existing staff on holiday security procedures
November:
- Have security in place before Black Friday
- Test all systems – cameras, alarms, communication
- Brief staff on new procedures
- Coordinate with other businesses if doing shared security
December:
- Monitor and adjust based on what’s working
- Document any incidents for insurance/police
- Plan for post-holiday inventory and returns season
Questions to Ask Security Companies
Don’t just hire whoever answers the phone first. Ask:
- Experience with Sarasota holiday retail security?
- Available for immediate deployment if problems arise?
- Can provide additional coverage for special events/sales?
- References from similar businesses in the area?
- Armed vs unarmed options and costs?
- How do they handle coordination with local police?
Red flags: Companies that promise to eliminate all theft, quote prices way below everyone else, can’t provide local references, pressure you to sign long contracts.
Working with Sarasota Police
SPD increases patrols during the holiday season but they can’t be everywhere. Having professional security services means faster response to problems and better relationship with police when you need them.
Good security companies know local police procedures, have working relationships with officers, and understand how to handle situations legally.
Staff Training Matters Too
Security guards help but your employees are the first line of defense.
Train staff on:
- Recognizing shoplifting behavior
- Handling difficult customers without escalating
- When to call security vs police
- Protecting cash during busy periods
- Parking lot safety when leaving work
Don’t train staff to: Physically confront shoplifters, chase people into parking lots, handle situations they’re not qualified for.
Technology and Physical Security
Cameras work better with guards. Cameras record what happened, guards prevent it from happening.
Good lighting matters. Especially parking areas, building perimeters, anywhere customers walk with shopping bags.
Access control. During the busy season, control who can access storage areas, cash rooms, employee areas.
Alarm systems. Make sure they work reliably and someone responds quickly when they go off.
Insurance Considerations
Some insurance companies require security for certain claims during high-risk periods. Check your policy.
Having professional security can sometimes reduce premiums or deductibles. Document what security measures you take.
If something bad happens and you had no security, insurance might question whether you took reasonable precautions.
Working with Other Businesses
Shared security can work for smaller businesses in the same plaza or district. Split costs, coordinate coverage, watch each other’s places.
Communication with neighbors. If one store has problems, others should know. Share information about suspicious people, incidents, what’s working.
Coordinated events. If multiple businesses are doing special sales or events, coordinate security planning.
What We Do for Sarasota Holiday Retail
USA Security & Protection Group LLC provides holiday retail security throughout Florida:
Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Palm Beach, Delray Beach, Weston, Plantation, Port Saint Lucie, Palm Bay, Cocoa Beach, Fort Myers – and the Sarasota area.
We know the local shopping areas, understand seasonal patterns, and work with businesses year after year.
Armed and unarmed guards, mobile patrol, event security for special sales or promotions.
Don’t Wait Until Problems Start
Every year I get calls from businesses asking for immediate security help because something just happened. A guy got robbed in a parking lot, an employee was caught stealing, and a customer got aggressive with staff.
By then it’s emergency pricing and limited availability. Plan ahead, get security in place before you need it.
Holiday season security isn’t about being paranoid. It’s about protecting the income that carries you through the rest of the year.
Call us at (954) 477-1088 or email USACURITYPROGROUPLLC@GMAIL.COM to discuss holiday security planning.
We’ll look at your business, your location, your peak times, and figure out what makes sense for your budget and risk level.
Some businesses need armed guards all season. Others just need weekend evening coverage. Most need something in between.
But waiting until Black Friday week to figure it out? That’s a mistake you can’t afford to make.
