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TAGGED: Blue Wheeler
Serious and non-sarcastic, non-judgmental, non-troll (wow the Internet is tough) question: do people actually like these convenience stores and if they do, why? To me, they seem to provide only access to unhealthy food, cigs, beer. I feel like there are many, many other businesses that would be better for a community than a convenience store. But, genuinely curious to hear some other thoughts
Yes..they are vital..
People smole, drink and eat gready potato chip’s. Free will and free markets. Both important. Self righteous superiority…not so much…Perhaps the new tenants will open a “high horse” store for the convenience of the “self appointed arbiters” of what others should or should not have access to.
Justin, I agree entirely with you, the days of this type of business for our neighborhood is gone (I hope). We need a more upscale market similar to Fresh Market etc.
Serious response: People clearly like having places to purchase unhealthy food, cigarettes, and beer, because they purchase these things from places that sell them.
Where Brian Eric Baynes at?
May there be good healthy food at a reasonable price somewhere on that end of Marshall, and may it be soon.
The folks that owned the Blue Wheeler business also own the Clay Street market, located directly behind Chimbo Elementary. They actually own the Clay Street building, unlike the Blue Wheeler building. They also own the Citgo station. So, if you liked them, their business, and need what they sell, please visit them over on Clay Street. I always thought the beer selection was better at the location on Clay and they also have the Tricycle Garden fresh produce there as well.
Corner stores are embedded into the community, and there’s obviously a demand in the neighborhood or they wouldn’t still be here. Instead of griping about the lack of healthy food options, why not promote healthier food in the existing corner stores? I know Tricycle Gardens has an initiative focused on that (http://tricyclegardens.org/vision/healthy-corner-store-initiative/), and there are other area nonprofits seeking to improve food access and healthy eating in our community (Shalom Farms, CHAT urban garden, Farmstrong, etc.) Let’s strengthen the existing resources already in the neighborhood!
People are going to put whatever junk they want into their bodies, and that’s none of anybody’s business, so that’s fine.
The problem I have is that these same people walking to get their beer, chips, chicken wings, whatever, tend to toss their trash on the ground when they’re finished.
As far as the Clay St Market goes, I wouldn’t mind not seeing the party group just hanging out, getting drunk, and peeing in public anymore either.
Not really concerned about what they did or didn’t sell. Who cares. The building was/is a total eyesore and the operators seemed to do little to control the bad behavior that took place around their store. Glad to see it go. Hopefully, the current owner will sell and the property is redeveloped.
I’m ok with another junk food purveyor in more attractive digs.
Long live Big Blue!
Loved this store and glad they are still at clay street but I agree with not being a huge fan of the crowd that for some reason gathers around it and across the street by the elementary school.
For those of you that live near the Clay Street Market and object to the hanging, panhandling, public drinking, peeing, etc., I would encourage you to talk with the owner, Sean, about your concerns. I would also encourage you to call RPD and report these issues. Here are the things that are happening now and are illegal: public intoxication and consumption of alcohol, public urination, loud noise after 10 pm, panhandling w/i 500 feet of an establishment that sells alcohol, blocking the sidewalk with your person, chair, milk crate, etc., throwing trash on the ground. I’m not going to lie – it takes a lot of work but this can be cleaned up to some degree. Not all of it went away at the BW but a lot of it did.
I don’t know what is next for the old BW building but I am hopeful for something good. I’ve heard from several sources that the owner has had as many as 3 buyers make offers but all fell short of the $600k+ that the owner wants for the property.
Talking to the owner of the market and the police seem like options, but it’s not like Sean nor the police don’t already know what happens out there. It’s happened for years, and it’s not going to stop.
Now that the BW is gone, guess what else magically stops in that area? The trash, the loitering, public urination, the loud music.
So I guess the “lease” arrangement being settled so they would continue at this location was only a rumor?
Yes, we need corner grocers but from what I had heard (read) they did not carry much more than cigs and beer while there were a lot of loiterers which would sidetrack people from shopping there. Bad Elements = Bad Image = No Sale.