Why do Jewel and Dominicks get a free pass for ignoring the South Side? (Chicago: apartment, co-ops)

[j_cat]

They're businesses, not charities. I'm not a conservative or anything (I shouldn't have to say that but I don't want to be misunderstood), but let's be realistic here. In the face of lower profit margins, and hassles like crime, it's not hard to see why stores avoid certain areas.

[gomexico]

There are many wealthy African-American's in Chicago. Why doesn't one of them or their companies care enough to serve the African-American community other than selling fried chicken? Inquiring minds want to know. Businesses go where they see the opportunity. It's the free market system. Yes, the food deserts are problematic. The minority community has the means to resolve it ... if it really cared.

[mjtinmemphis]

Go Mexico,

Selling chicken??? You have a lot to learn about chicken and wealth and where wealthy blacks get their money.

[urza216]

Originally Posted by mjtinmemphis

Go Mexico,

Selling chicken??? You have a lot to learn about chicken and wealth and where wealthy blacks get their money.

Come on, now. You're acting like an over-sensitive Republican. In what way is this a counter-argument? So what if he referenced selling fried chicken? How does this destroy the validity of his entire post - which was technically about SPENDING money not MAKING it?

From the Harold's Chicken Shack entry on Wikipedia: "Harold Pierce, an African-American Chicago entrepreneur, founded the restaurant in 1950. The character of Harold's developed primarily out of necessity, because the larger fast food chains tended to avoid African-American neighborhoods". There are Harold's locations all over the south side today. Why not a grocery store chain like it?

GoMexico raises a good point. I think it's worthy of at least a little bit of discussion..

[HomeIsWhere...]

Originally Posted by urza216

Come on, now. You're acting like an over-sensitive Republican. In what way is this a counter-argument? So what if he referenced selling fried chicken? How does this destroy the validity of his entire post - which was technically about SPENDING money not MAKING it?

From the Harold's Chicken Shack entry on Wikipedia: "Harold Pierce, an African-American Chicago entrepreneur, founded the restaurant in 1950. The character of Harold's developed primarily out of necessity, because the larger fast food chains tended to avoid African-American neighborhoods". There are Harold's locations all over the south side today. Why not a grocery store chain like it?

GoMexico raises a good point. I think it's worthy of at least a little bit of discussion..

common sense goes a long way! Yes, why not a grocery store chain in the neighborhoods on the south side (or anywhere in the Chicago metro areas) which are severely underserved?

For the people, by the people...

Best regards, sincerely

HomeIsWhere...

[gomexico]

… over the past five years, the number of Chicagoans living in food deserts has declined almost 40 percent. … Chicago's current food desert population is estimated to be 384,000 -- almost a third of which are children.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/1...n_1029296.html

[Just1Fan]

The problem is that most of the people making the decisions [for Jewel and Dominicks] are not black. Once more blacks become owners, CEO's, and presidents of grocery chains, getting them to place stores on the south side will no longer be an issue.

[Chi-town Native]

Originally Posted by Just1Fan

The problem is that most of the people making the decisions [for Jewel and Dominicks] are not black. Once more blacks become owners, CEO's, and presidents of grocery chains, getting them to place stores on the south side will no longer be an issue.

Given the current trend of corporate consolidation that doesn't seem likely any time soon. You are more likely to see Wal Mart open more small stores with groceries, which means more wealth will be transferred out of black Chicago and into the shareholders' pockets.

[Just1Fan]

Originally Posted by Chi-town Native

doesn't seem likely any time soon.

I can't blame you for feeling the way you do. That's the same thing they said about a black president.

Up with Hope, Down with Dope ~ Rev. Jesse Jackson

[Chi-town Native]

To clarify, there are certainly a growing number of black CEOs, but that doesn't generally mean large Fortune 500 type companies will undergo expansion they don't see as profitable. I think it may take the deep pockets of a Wal Mart to take that leap, but smaller groceries seem likely as well. There is money to be made, it just doesn't seem to be terribly easy.