There’s an article in Wednesday’s AJC about the controversy that the proposed Super-H Mart–a large chain supermarket catering to Asian consumers–has generated throughout the city over the past couple of months. Specifically, it mentions a petition that was passed around in May, asking the city council to reject the project because we need some “American” businesses to balance out all the Asian and Latino ones:
Kay Bird, who has lived in Doraville off and on for the last 47 years, said she welcomes diversity but also wants stores that sell “traditional American food” and offer an atmosphere that longtime residents enjoy.
“We have a large number of Americans of different races who have been here a long time,” she said. “They’re accustomed to shopping at Kroger or Publix, where they can find things you can’t get at an Asian market.”
[...]
A supermarket such as Kroger or Publix “would start to restore ethnic balance to the Doraville shopping district, help build a sense of community among long-term residents, and help maintain or improve residential property values,” the petition says.
I understand the frustration that some folks in the city feel about having to drive a few miles if they want to go to Kroger or Publix. I think, though, that the advocates of this petition have things backwards. Kroger and Publix will open locations in Doraville when there is a critical mass of people living in this area who would shop there. That’s probably not going to happen until the city starts attracting new residents. The city government cannot & should not legislate where stores catering to particular ethnicities can be opened.
Doraville’s best bet for attracting many new residents in the numbers that would support these supermarkets is high density, mixed-use development in the area where the GM Plant currently stands. By bringing a lot of new residents & valuable new real-estate to the table, the city would give large supermarkets much more incentive to move here. It would also most likely raise property values in the rest of the city–which I think most homeowners would appreciate.
Instead of cobbling together petitions that are doomed from the outset, citizens would probably do better to look at the next slate of candidates for city council, and elect those people who would work for the kind of smart growth the city needs. That’s probably the only way this town will ever get a Kroger or a Publix.
[...] Joseph G at Dora-Blog on a petition by some Doraville residents to try to keep a new Asian-food supermarket from being [...]
Just curious… what the hell is “traditional American food?”
Amber: Maize and Buffalo.
Seriously, what do they think they can get at Kroger or Publix that they can’t get at the Farmer’s Market? That place has *everything*, including crappy American food.
All jokes aside doesn’t every community deserve a Kroger, a Publix, or at least an Ingles? I don’t know what I would do without mine. Your post gives some very good advice. Turn up the heat and make those council people squirm.:)
I didn’t see an email…I wanted to let you know that this post was included in today’s edition of the Georgia Carnival over at Georgia On My Mind.
True you can get most things at Farmers Market However, the prices are a lot higher at Farmers market than at Kroger or Publix
I am curious if many of the bloggers have been to a Super H market? As a self-confessed ‘foodie’, I have several thoughts on this.
First, we live in a free-market system, and Kroger or any other grocery store is going to go where they can sell Beanie-weenies, Velveeta, and Kraft mac ‘n cheese (Whoever calls this stuff ‘crappie’ is a by-durn commie!!! (;>) )
Kroger tried a market downtown near the Capital, in the new loft area. It failed and sits vacant. Kroger is one of the more ‘risk-taking’ grocery chains. Kudos, ask them why they don’t have a Doraville store.
Nearest lovely D-ville, you have the Buford Highway Market, which does sell ‘Amurican’ food, but at a premium price. But their veggies, and seafood are decent, and a lot of the Asian varieties of vegetable cook up just fine.
Super H beats the STEW outta the Buford Highway Market, veggies and seafood is better, and prices are very low, as they buy market share. I bought a wonderful tenderloin (Yes, filet mignon) at $4.50 per pound!!! And it was great.
Having said that, the profound demographic changes in Doraville are no doubt both exciting and frightening to people, depending on whom you speak to.
The GM plant is YOUR future.
GM is going to be hard pressed not to optimize their profit on the real estate redevelopment for the plant. We all know GM is not setting any positive records in earnings or profitability. There real estate is worth more than the incremental profit on many vehicles sold.
That being said, Doraville must ‘take the lead’ on making the re-development truly stand-up to stand-out.
Jason A. statement “$500,000 per year revenue is important” is true, but you can only sell the land once. Think BIG and outside the ‘live, work, play’ paradigm.
I live within a stone’s toss of the GM plant, but I don’t know if another Atlantic Station is the best use for this site.
Lastly, God Bless Officer Hugh and his family, and the rest of the thin blue line in Doraville. They are why you can sleep safely at night.