FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WOWO) — A Fort Wayne business owner says activity surrounding an addiction recovery center across the street is affecting his business, raising questions about whether the facility is appropriately located.
John Diettrich, owner of Zesto on Broadway, told WANE-TV that he supports addiction recovery efforts but believes the center’s location has created problems for his business and customers.
Diettrich said people associated with activity around the recovery center have loitered on or near his property, approached customers asking for money and entered the business’s property.
He said security cameras have captured additional incidents, including people sitting on the property, pulling flowers from a garden and urinating on a nearby building.
The incidents have become a concern for Diettrich as he tries to maintain a welcoming environment for customers.
Diettrich emphasized that his concerns are not about people seeking help for addiction.
Rather, he said, the issue is what he describes as repeated disruptive activity occurring around his business and the impact it can have on customers and employees.
Fort Wayne police records reviewed by WANE show 22 reports of police activity within a block or two of Zesto so far this year, compared with 17 reports during all of 2025.
The numbers do not necessarily establish that the recovery center or its clients were responsible for those calls. They do, however, illustrate an increase in reported police activity in the area compared with the previous year.
For Diettrich, the concern is about the cumulative effect of what he says customers and employees are experiencing.
He said he wants people struggling with addiction to have access to treatment and recovery services, but questions whether placing a recovery facility immediately across from his business is the best arrangement for the surrounding neighborhood.
The situation highlights a broader challenge for communities trying to expand addiction treatment while balancing the needs of nearby businesses and residents.
Recovery centers can provide critical services for people working to overcome substance-use disorders, but their locations can also generate concerns about loitering, public behavior, security and neighborhood impacts.
Diettrich’s comments add to that local debate, with the Zesto owner saying he believes there needs to be a way to support recovery without allowing nearby businesses and their customers to bear the consequences of disruptive behavior.
For now, the business owner says he hopes the concerns can be addressed while preserving access to addiction recovery services in Fort Wayne.
