As one from the southside who lives in a neighborhood that has been inundated with "hood" stores I will describe what life is like to live by one that is 3 houses from where I live... I moved here in 1991. Since that time there have 13 owners of the local "hood" store. Many tried to make a go of the store but soon realized they could not make a profit by operating within the law so they left. The ones that stayed realized they couldn't make a profit legally so they engaged in illegal activities to boost the bottom line. Those illegal behaviors included: Selling stolen goods out of the store Selling outdated food products Keeping cooler temperatures at lower than required temperatures Selling drugs Running prostitution Selling guns Gouging the tax payer by charging exorbitant amounts for baby formula and other products listed on the WIC coupons Hiding criminals from the police during drug busts Taking EBT cards in payment for beer and cigarettes Taking EBT cards in exchange for cash not products Selling cigarettes or alcohol to minors The reason it is so hard to make a profit legally is that there are too many stores in certain areas. In 1991 there were 14 stores within 1 square mile. I haven't counted lately but I think it's even worse now. The profit margin is very narrow which is why people resort to selling drug paraphernalia (of course they don't call it that) which is legal and digress into the illegal behaviors I listed above. During my time with the store by my house it has been robbed at least 5 times. There has been gunfire there at least 3 times. The last owner lost their license for selling cigarettes to minors and for various inspection violations including illegal bedrooms in the basement. (Gee, I wonder what that was for) The store also harbored the thugs during a drug bust last summer of the house from hell kitty korner from the store. (The tenants from that house are gone and it's been heavenly since that time) We know they were selling drugs out of the store because the drug dealers from across the street hung out in there all day long. It was coming in and out in basmati rice bags. The kids all knew it and the cops knew it but they could never bust them for that. The current owners are from Texas. The police say they are on the up and up. I think they really got suckered. No one told them that a new gas station with a convenience store and ice cream parlor was opening only 2 short blocks away. Their ability to be profitable is nil and I know it won't be long before they close their doors. Our best hope is that someone would buy the dump, tear it down and build town houses there. The owner of the property is a slumlord and has invested just enough to keep the city off his back. The outside actually doesn't look too bad right now. They finally painted over the god awful pink paint that was on it last summer. They fenced in the dumpster and actually did some landscaping. The inside is quite another story. It needs a total rehab. One the landlord won't pay for. We had a chance to get rid of the store as a use there a couple years ago. The owner lobbied CM Zimmermann to help them get the necessary CUP's and what not to keep it a store so the thugs that lost their license last fall could keep operating. Now we are stuck with the place as a "hood" store into ad nauseam. Remember, this is just one store. There are many many many more of these in inner-city neighborhoods with the same stories to tell. Barb Lickness Whittier
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