In recent days, several posters on local blogs opined on the reason for such a lack of grocery stores in the south. A couple of them had the nerve to say that "the sad reality is that poor people shoplift." To them, I offer these stats:
*The Kroger next to Mockingbird station has 94 crimes year-to-date (Jan 1-Nov 21st).
*The Minyards in South Dallas next to Fair Park: 52 crimes year-to-date.
Some people just don't get it... but hey that's your opinion. I live what Dr. Berg is talking about in his recently released report, Access to Grocery Stores and Food Security in Dallas.
Fear of crime is just an excuse. The fact is we must bring the decision-making executives to southern Dallas to make change happen. The companies that have supermarkets in southern Dallas know they do a ton of business.
And contrary to some people's ignorance, people in southern Dallas are NOT looking for handouts. We are more than willing to do our part. In fact, in District Four, we will soon be announcing a neighborhood grocery store that is investing millions to open a new business. You'll hear about it in the next 1-2 months. Other stores are also being actively recruited.
A new day is coming. When you have the efforts of citizens combined with the political will to make change occur, a lot can be accomplished. It's glad to see so many news outlets shining a light on this pressing issue.
Stay tuned.
7 comments:
Actually, Mike, there is a large of body of work, dating to the late 1980s, about why poor urban areas don't have grocery stores.
I interviewed a guy in Detroit in the early 1990s who did his thesis on the subject. As you note, it has nothing to do with shoplifting and everything to do with profit margins. The national and multi-national chains that dominate the business don't care about serving the community. There are fewer and fewer locally owned chains where community might be a consideration. And the big chains want to make as much money as possible, which means 80,000 square foot stores in Frisco.
This problem is worse in your part of town, but it is not unique. East Dallas and Lake Highlands residents have similar problems, but since we're more affluent, we can drive to the store that is not near by. For instance, there is no main-line supermarket between downtown and Mockingbird Lane and Central and White Rock Lake.
Jeff, thanks for the points and perspective. People sometimes don't realize that supermarkets can and do close north of I-30.
That's what it's all about...changing the dynamic. There are a ton of opportunities for someone that wants to open that type of business in Dallas. I've seen it in other cities, and we have to bring that mindset to Dallas.
Dr. Berg's report is selling South Dallas short by relying on old paradigms that stress just the basics when it could have so much more.
He should become familiar with the research of Richard Florida
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2001/0205.florida.html
that says there is a creative class that cuts across racial, cultural, and socioeconomic lines.
Instead, we get the same tired logic for why things aren't working. For South Dallas and similar areas to get to the next level of development, economists need to think outside of the box and look at the changing demographics.
Otherwise, people - who can do so - will make the trek outside of their neighborhoods to live, work, shop, and play. Those of us who live in South Dallas left deserve better. It's the leaders and academics with the old mindset that prevent progress.
Not only will just people who reside in Southern Dallas shop at the grocery stores; others will also patronize the stores. I live in Garland but work downtown and I do about 60% of my shopping in Southern Dallas before hitting East I30.
I am a white male who lives in the Cedars and I have attempted to shop at Minyards a few times, each time I am there I have been approached inside the store for a handout. I just do what the Garland person does, I shop at stores on my way home. Albertsons at Lemmon and McKinney,is my number one choice, Whole Foods (both Lemmon and Greenville Ave,)Central Market on Lovers, and Tom Thumb across the street. And occasional stops at Urban Market downtown if there is a parking place on the street. While i do not patronize Walmart, there is a Walmart at Hall and 75.
With all due respect, stores do have to consider whether they will have crime visited upon them by setting up shop in a particular area. It's no secret that there are many privately owned stores, shops and such that have closed due to repeated theft and other crimes. The liability just simply is not worth it. And when you add that to the dwindling numbers of grocery stores overall, then you end up with just a Walmart or just a Super Target serving a huge area. Even in places like North Dallas or Southern Denton county, we are seeing empty holes where grocery stores once stood. The big grocery chains try to strategically place their stores at the edge of Walmart service areas. In the end that means that those of us who don't want to drive far are stuck with Walmart. When my mom lived in Tyler she was stuck with two stores that jacked up prices higher than here in Dallas, because there was no competition. While the phenomenon might be worse in South Dallas, it is happening on some scale all over. In my Carrollton/Plano/North Dallas neighborhood we have had four grocery stores shut down in the last three years. Why? Because they didn't want to compete with the two Walmarts along Trinity Mills and 190. This left a huge area without a local market and stranded many of the retirees who live in the area and do not drive without a market within walking distance. Plus, I hate shopping in those huge stores where it takes half an hour to get a gallon of milk even with self checkout.
As someone who lives in Deep Ellum and has been to the Minyards store in Fair Park quite a few times, I can back up what thomas h is saying. Everytime ive walked into the place, im hassled for money from every bum and derlict in the area. Alot of it is the fact im white, where as the majority of other persons who shop at the store are either black, hispanic or other ethnicity. Another point failed to mention is the fact alot of this lies with community leaders taking a back seat to actually improving their areas. Again, I bring up fair park which has been sold out and driven into the ground by every crooked politician that has run that district over the past 50 years. But, I also think this is a community issue that has to be handled up by the citizens at the grassroots level. If you lead the charge at taking down the derelict houses used for drug dealing, clean up the vacant lots and close the bodegas that sell cheap booze that keeps their own neighborhood down
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