Urban Nut

here's the latest... To all Northsiders, Next Monday, June 6, 2005, a representative from Wallgreens is scheduled to be at the Northside Business Meeting at the Presbyterian church, starting at 6:30 p.m. As you’ve probably heard, Wallgreens has put a bid in to Purchase the lot where Myron Johnson lumber was - the corner of Hamilton and Blue rock, across from Hoffner Park. Taylor and I started a campaign to support small and owner operated businesses in Northside, not only to highlite this issue to try to keep it from happening, but also to let people know that if small business in Northside is not supported by it’s own residents, then corporations like Wallgreens will come in, and fill up the neighborhood doing business here without the concern, or caring , or passion that the people who own the small businesses have - many of which, as we do, both work and live in the neighborhood. We don’t necessarily have anything against chain stores, but we don’t feel a Wallgreens is necessary here, or will bring people in to Northside, at least not any further up Hamilton Avenue. I looked up Wallgreen stores in the phone book, and there are 15-20 stores within a 5-10 minute drive from here, so what would make this location so special. The fact that is close by, making it walkable, doesn’t really wash. People won’t walk there. They will get in a car and drive, as there will be a parking lot , most likley a drive up pharmacy, so many peole “coming” into the neighboorhood, won’t even need to get out of their cars. The UDF and the two fast food “drive ups” are testaments of that. There is practically nothing that Wallgreens sells not availiable in this community, or in an existing store close by. Also, some of what they sell - at least in regards to us- is all the major brands of so called “professional” hair care products, which have been illegally diverted and sold to these stores by distributors trying to make a buck. The product we sell cannot be gotten anywhere in a store. They also sell C.D.’s , ect. etc., etc. I was told by a client the other day, that money spent in a small business circulates in a community seven times, where as money spent in a corporate store, circulates one time. Small business supports owners and their families, where as corporate big business supports the corporation, who are not involved in or care about the betterment of the neighborhood. We are constantly calling the UDF head office in Norwood to complain about trash, and they have one of the employees making minimum wage go out to clean it up, as with the KFC and the white Castle. Why would Wallgreens be any different. In the article that was in City Beat last week, at lot was left out about alternatives for that space, which would be so much better suited to Northside, but there is always the money issue that is so difficult to compete with a Corporation. What a creative team with money could do for our community! Hope to see people there Monday.