After a year as a vacant space, it looks like there is potential suitor for the old Ritz Camera shop on SW 4th & Taylor. Coming soon?
There is no shortage of convenience stores downtown. There are three Plaid Pantrys and two 7-Elevens dotting the perimeter, with a cluster of mom-and-pop stores throughout the grid. Some keep banker’s hours, others are open late, a couple are 24/7. Would another one hurt? Help?
When I asked my bud at Peterson’s, he gave a “Good luck with that!” eyeroll. Apparently Peterson’s has been attempting to expand in the downtown core, but keeps running into opposition. (Unofficial, of course.) With all the restrictions and conditions on alcohol sales, and all the conditions they agreed to in order to remain open, it’s no wonder they’ve instead focused on improving business at the existing locations. Given the current economic situation, only one of their stores now stays open all night. There just isn’t enough late-night business.
An all-night Quik-E-Mart across the park from the courthouse and jail? They should do a brisk business in shoelaces and single Newports. (“They took my motherf#@%ing shoelaces!” “I need a cigarette!”) On the other hand, cops and guards coming and going all night makes for good security, right?
It’s this part of the sign that makes me wonder. Are they saying goodwill is free? Or that Southland should expect no mercy because they are a mega-corporation seeking to expand where well-established local businesses have been rebuffed?
We shall see…
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