In a message dated 4/18/07 9:21:49 AM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: > My point was that the fact that the Firehouse Market (with local > businesses) closed and subsequently the owner rented to Dock Street (a local > business) > is inconsistent with the argument that someone has a plan to replace local > businesses. Post hoc ergo propter hoc. > > Bruce McCullough > > Actually, if you want to carry that a bit further, a very significant business had left the Firehouse Market by the time Linford Martin became its owner - the very local (47th & Baltimore) Bronson & Wolfe Meats had left, and the former Firehouse owner could not find a meat seller with enough expertise and capital to replace B&W. Several tries were made by both the former and current building owners, but the later meat businesses were not successful - nor were their owners local, I believe!
Without a good meat store, the place was much less successful as a destination where one could buy the ingredients for a meal. If a shopper couldn't buy the main course there, s/he had to go elsewhere, and while s/he was elsewhere, it made sense to buy vegetables, coffee & tea, baked goods, etc. in the other location. This spelled death for the remaining merchants' businesses. I doubt if those who are suggesting some sort of plot about Dock Street spent much time at the Firehouse - I don't remember ever seeing you there, Ray! If our fun-loving conspiracy theorists had been there, they'd remember how silent and grim it became. The lack of customers was ominous. I agree with what Bruce is saying, and I'd add that I think the current owner had used his cultural connections to bring some merchants from other areas of PA in to try to fill some of the shop vacancies. So those merchants, while they had ties to the local owner, were not nearly so local themselves as Rosemarie Certo's Pizza Rustica and former Dock Street businesses. But hey, why would the conspiracy folks consider the actual facts? Melani Lamond Melani Lamond, Associate Broker Urban & Bye, Realtor 3529 Lancaster Ave. Philadelphia, PA 19104 cell phone 215-356-7266 office phone 215-222-4800, ext. 113 office fax 215-222-1101 2006 recipient of the Greater Philadelphia Association of Realtors awards: - Diamond award for over $8 million in sales, and ALL SIX of the West Philadelphia awards: - Top Lister - Top Seller - Top Overall Combined Volume - Top Listing Units by Area - Top Selling Units by Area - Top Overall Combined Units by Area ************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com.
