The new 5 Corners Mini Mart in Queen Anne at the northeast corner of Third and McGraw streets, caused an outcry among local residents last week when its window signs read "discount cigarettes, beer and wine." Yet even with a change in signage and other compromises made by the store owner, some neighbors maintain their stance against the store's opening.
A number of Queen Anne residents argued at the March 6 Queen Anne Community Council meeting that the store doesn't belong in their neighborhood and added that a store of its kind will attract undesirable customers and create safety problems for children.
Others at the meeting shot back in support of 5 Corners Mini Mart owner Steve Park, calling their fellow neighbors "elitist with their NIMBY attitude" and adding that other businesses sell alcohol and cigarettes just down the street, including Ken's Market.
One of the supporters of Park's store, Queen Anne resident, Chris Miller, said he felt arguments against Park's store opening were close-minded.
"I don't like the way the guy was treated for opening up a store. He has every right to open up a convenience store and it doesn't mean he's targeting a specific audience, or that bums are going to beeline it to his store," Miller said. "I was rather surprised by people's negativity. Would you go to the Paragon or any other bar on Queen Anne Avenue and say, 'You've got to stop selling alcohol past 10 p.m. because there are some people driving home from your bar drunk?'"
Though Park agreed the sign was inappropriate, he didn't agree with accusations that the mini mart didn't belong because it doesn't represent the neighborhood.
"They said I'm going to attract a lot of bums, but are there a lot of bums on top of Queen Anne? I don't see them," Park said. "I'm going to be dealing with highly respectable people, too, just like all the other businesses. I respect the neighborhood and I'm going to run my business legitimately, by the law and with the community."
After immediately agreeing to take down the sign, Park said several times that he was not going to sell fortified alcoholic beverages, one of the neighbors' main concerns. He even signed a statement affirming that at the meeting. Though there are no legal binds that keep Park from selling fortified alcohol, he said"If my words are not followed, you can picket in front of my store and close it down." The store will also not carry adult material, like pornographic magazines.
Even with these assurances, and after changing the signage to read "organic ice cream, grocery, beverages, organic coffee," a number of neighbors questioned Park's vision for the store.
"It's not a personal thing, but I just don't think that's the kind of business we want to open in our area," said Kelly Pishaw, who lives right next to 5 Corners. "It's going to cause a lot more traffic than needed in a residential area and bring in low-life people because they know they can get cigarettes and alcohol 'til 11 at night. I want my daughter to be able to walk to school and not worry who she runs into."
Pishaw's main concerns are the lack of designated parking for the business, the hours, and the potential safety issues she foresees with the customer base that a mini mart attracts. Others at the meeting, including Pishaw, said the store would negatively affect property values.
Since the meeting, a petition was started to ban the 5 Corners' liquor license application. So far, more than 100 people have signed the petition. Three of the reasons stated in the petition include the proposed business hours (open until 10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and until 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday) do not complement a residential neighborhood; no provided parking for customers or delivery vehicles in an already congested area; and the store is adjacent to the Queen Anne Helpline, which serves many clients with addiction issues. For a complete list of reasons visit petitiononline.com/QAsafety/petition.html.
Many at the QACC meeting echoed Pishaw's concerns and said Park should have considered what services or products the neighborhood needed and wanted before going ahead with this business plan.
Aside from alcohol and cigarettes, Park plans to carry groceries and also have a section of Asian food and spices. Because of ideas given at the meeting, Park also plans to serve scoop ice cream. With two daughters of his own, Park said he has family in mind with his business and he also wants to invest in the community and support community sports teams.
"I understand what the neighborhood's concerns are and I tried to meet those concerns. So far I did my best to listen to the neighborhood and I followed through," Park said, "so all I'm saying is judge me, say what you want to say, after I open the store and then if you don't like it we can talk more. But if they're saying my little store will hurt the neighborhood, that part I do not understand."
Park plans to have the store open by March 15.[[In-content Ad]]
