Convenience Store neighborhood effect

[AlexS]

Stephen, I am still lost, even after your PM

alex are you drunk or just trying to be an ass hole?

[AlexS]

well you are up late, posting repetitive nonsense and aggressively trying to act like a moderator, when you arent.

Since you are making crazy posts, clearly having not read the threads before posting them it made me question.

Knowing you in real life, I figured you were either drunk, but I thought I would ask.

Thats why there are private messages, you know.

So what should I assume since you are up late too and aren't a moderator either ? Knowing you in real life, I thought I would ask ?

[AlexS]

um............ok......

Ok then, going to bed now.

[civil42806]

civil debate 

[thelakelander]

The last few days have been new to me.  I've never seen a period of time in which adults can't seem to stay on topic in the threads.  Its getting to be quite annoying.

With that said, you guys are off topic again.  In an effort to get this back on track, I have a question.  How is the convenience store on the corner of 7th & Pearl viewed?  Is it considered an asset or liability?  I ask because it does not seem to have a lot of the issues people have equated to the Speedway or Shell station.

[fsu813]

since it doesn't have most of the same negative issues, i view it as a net positive.

[zoo]

Lake, I view the store on the corner of 7th & Pearl, the Superette, as a small-scale grocery, not so much a "convenience" store, as it carries many grocery items even beyond basic convenience items like milk, eggs, paper towels, aspirin, tp, etc.

I think many of the "convenience" stores in the community stock primarily alcohol, tobacco products and condoms. Nothing wrong with these products, but also nothing wrong with wanting the convenience stores to be convenient to a more diverse audience.

As we are in the most health-challenged area in Duval County, Health Zone 1, it also wouldn't hurt to reduce the quantity of plastic-wrapped junk foods whose wrappers end up all over the neighborhood (even Gates and Daily's usually have apples and bananas).

[Springfielder]

I don't consider the Superette a convenience store, it's a grocery store. It's been there for as long as I can remember, and it's not like the actual convenience stores in which their main source of income is from the singles and tobacco they sell.  The store is clean and offers a fair variety of foods.

[thelakelander]

^Cool, understood.  They look like they have a successful model in a city dominated by large chain retailers.

[danno]

I will walk over when I need a basic staple that I may have run out of.

[AlexS]

The Superette does not seem to focus primarily on selling cigarettes and singles of beer. This does not encourage people to loiter around the store and leave their trash behind.

[cindi]

many in the neighborhood that do not have a car use it as their primary source for shopping, especially now that quality foods closed.  they also carry fresh meat etc.

[sheclown]

The physical structure of the building may limit the loitering -- small door opens on a corner right into the street.  Loiter in front and you'll get plowed under by round-about traffic.

There is a bus stop across the street, and a halfway house.  Doesn't seem like these cause a problem.

A question we should be asking ourselves "Why does the Superette work?"  Maybe we should ask the owners what they think?

[cindi]

i think the owner keeps the flow of the traffic moving along, and like you said, there isn't a lot of room for error if you step off of the sidewalk in the wrong direction - squish.  i don't believe the majority of his income comes from selling singles or crack smoking equipment so not a real good reason to go out of your way unless he has something you want (real food etc), he is not open during good "loitering" hours either.  there is also not a large overhang to protect them from the elements (sun, rain etc).

[sheclown]

1. physical structure of the building
2. hours of operation
3. selection of merchandise.

When a new business opens in Springfield, I think we should welcome them in the neighborhood, do all we can to support them understanding that it takes tremendous gonads to open a biz anywhere in this economic climate and that we appreciate the fact that they have done so in Springfield. 

I think we could also list the above three things as concerns of the neighborhood to just let the new owner know -- keeping in mind that it is his choice whether or not to follow our suggestions.

When we first opened the thrift store, a major concern came from some in the neighborhood that we would buy goods from people and therefore open up to dealing in stolen goods.  We were quite clear with our policy based upon common sense and neighborhood concern that we use only donated goods with the occasional item bought from "Bobby" who has a warehouse of sofas.  In other words, we won't buy off the street.

I think this is an example of working together.

SPAR has ignored our presence, and that is okay too.  If they would have given us a list of their concerns, trash, lighting, or whatever, we would have made a decision and if what we decided fit with how it should be managed matched with theirs, we would have decided to do that, too.

What is bothersome about "neighborhood concern" is when it goes too far.  And really, that is what is being brought up here on these boards.  We need to keep things in balance. 

Concern can turn into an ugly war pretty quickly.  And then, everyone loses.