Bye, Smitty's (Perry, Wilson: sales, school, living in)

[Crew Chief]

Where the heck is "Hillside" when ya need him...

[Hartwell Girl]

Originally Posted by Crew Chief

Where the heck is "Hillside" when ya need him...

LOL... Best post....
I miss Hillside...

[amdrea ashford]

Wilson1010...you obviously cannot see beyond the end of your nose! What is even more pathetic is you choose not to! He has been giving to OTR and the people in it all of his life and in return they gave back to him. He IS Over the Rhine! The world needs more Smittys and less of people like you!

[Wilson513]

Originally Posted by amdrea ashford

Wilson1010...you obviously cannot see beyond the end of your nose! What is even more pathetic is you choose not to! He has been giving to OTR and the people in it all of his life and in return they gave back to him. He IS Over the Rhine! The world needs more Smittys and less of people like you!

I'll say to you what I said to others who know nothing about OTR:

I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt that you are looking at upper Vine Street at a distance and that you don't know me or the persons who hang out up there. I say hang out because it seems like every time one of them gets shot, stabbed or arrested, they have an address on Winneste or Goebel or the Fay Apartments or on Reading Road and they have just chosen to come down here to OTR to ply their dope dealing, or thievery or whatever.

There are a few folks down here that are here against their will, old, poor, disabled, or without the $300 or so it takes to move. If you knew me, you would know that I am their advocate. I own a building where 8 old people live in relative OTR bliss in one bedroom apartments of 1100 square feet overlooking a park and surrounded by yuppies. I purchased that building so that others did not displace these elderly folks that I have gotten to know in the 12 years I have been in OTR. They are all over 70, all black, and all receiving housing assistance. And, I love every one of them dearly.

I can tell you without fear of contradiction that none of my elderly tenants has ever stood out in front of Smitty's, never bought anything from Smitty's and would not even walk by Smitty's other than at the point of a gun (which, in fact, could happen for those innocents who stroll by).

Rather, the Smitty's crowd are the perpetrators and my elderly tenants are the victims. On check day, the young thugs, prostitutes, drug boys and other scoflaws populate areas like Smitty's to prey on the weak, on the victims. It is they who purchase a pimp hat or a pink suit or a black hoodie with the words: "Snitches get Stitches" and the other offerings of retailers there. On check day, the old, ill and alone are afraid to go out for fear of the perps. It is not uncommon for folks to need an escort to get their check cashed. If Smitty's assisted in that, fine, but I doubt it.

My folks get a ride up to University Plaza to get some groceries and skip the corner market with the rolling papers and the pint bottles of diluted vodka and the boys outside.

And you, Amdrea, know nothing of what you speak. I assume all you know you learned from a piece in the Enquirer. Smitty's was a cesspool for pimps and thugs and prostitutes and bums. If that is your constituency, good for you. A good place to get a pimp hat or a black hoodie. If Smitty cashed a few checks for free, I applaud him, but his place of business will not be missed by those in the know about OTR.

[middyDJ]

Originally Posted by amdrea ashford

Wilson1010...you obviously cannot see beyond the end of your nose! What is even more pathetic is you choose not to! He has been giving to OTR and the people in it all of his life and in return they gave back to him. He IS Over the Rhine! The world needs more Smittys and less of people like you!

Lord God Amdrea... You should have let Wilson be when he pulled back in his earlier post. Let him be.......

I was shocked at the earlier posts though. Not ALL are bad that purchased items from that place. I remember walking by the place on the way to school at WP in the 80s.

I grew up into a man with kids who raises them right. But alas, tis easy for one to PAINT all with one stroke of a brush.

[middyDJ]

Another thing that comes to my mind. Something that a old grand ma with some common sense would say...

Some folk.. they are going to think what they want to think.. No matter what you say to them..

Just let them be.......... Just let them be.....

[Wilson513]

Originally Posted by middyDJ

Lord God Amdrea... You should have let Wilson be when he pulled back in his earlier post. Let him be.......

I was shocked at the earlier posts though. Not ALL are bad that purchased items from that place. I remember walking by the place on the way to school at WP in the 80s.

I grew up into a man with kids who raises them right. But alas, tis easy for one to PAINT all with one stroke of a brush.

Middy, when there were more people living in OTR there were probably some that shopped at Smitty's. OK, maybe 50 years ago. Maybe ask your parents why you only remember "walking by" Smitty's. Perhaps it is because a school age child does not need a pink suit or white plastic boots?

My awareness of Vine and McMicken came in the early 60's and by then the police had set aside upper Vine St. as a free zone for crime. People were getting sex in their cars for money in front of Smitty's in 1985. Drugs sold openly on the street and the white gangs and then later the black gangs controlled the corner by violence. So there may have been a time, but it doesn't change my view of it. By the time Ashcraft ran that store it was not a place fit for citizens. I said before and it is true, that he may not have known any better and just fell into a pattern that he did not create or fully understand. But if someone had made me king, I would have bulldozed the entire block without a moment's remorse.

It is somewhat refreshing, however, to see such support for entreprenurial capitalism. I think there is a sentiment that has been expressed here that if a man can make a living without actually being a criminal, even if he caters to criminals, that is a good thing. Because he is supporting himself and others with his actions, legally. Boy, I wish we had more of that laissez-faire sentiment when it comes to American business in general.

[restorationconsultant]

The city sent the owner a bill/lien for 115,000.00 related to city demolition and stabilization of the buildings, clearly more than the value of the buildings left in their current condition.

Given that I think its safe to say that that Smitty's is over probably to be replaced by More 3CDC condos.

Regardless of your position on the issue , in the long term "big picture' of things this is likely a good thing for OTR.

[amdrea ashford]

Originally Posted by captaincatfish

I'm telling ya...I've read a LOT of your posts here in the Cincy forum...some I've agreed wholeheartedly with, and some I've not...but this one goes beyond all boundaries of good taste...

Let me get this straight...you are cheering the fiery destruction of a man's livelihood, store's appearance notwithstanding at the moment, because (to you) it was keeping that particular part of OTR from becoming yet another part of some vanilla-yuppie-Pleasantville oasis?

Sorry for your luck, but that's not your call...you aren't almighty God, and you don't get to make the call on whether something was an eyesore or not, as you sit in your happy corner of Mt Lookout and look down/thumb your nose at the rest of us mere mortals...to these eyes anyway, that post was filled with arrogance, silly stereotypes, and just plain naked-a** meanness...

The gentleman was providing a service to that part of OTR, staying open not just to sell urban wear, but to cash checks for folks who somehow had no place else to cash them, or didn't trust banks, or whatever...pimp hats, pink suits, and stolen checks? You really need to put down your very well-worn copy of the 'American Dictionary Of Baseless Stereotypes', and realize that sometimes, your lofty, incorrect initial perceptions of people, their lives, and the neighborhoods they live in may be (gasp!!) WRONG...

In short, you wandered into the wrong cave, and chose the wrong morning to poke the wrong bear with a stick...I am your worst nightmare---an intelligent, opinionated black man who WILL speak his mind, and will NOT kiss your supposedly superior rear end...you have slighted a neighborhood, a people, and a man who for decades has tried to make OTR a better place in his own way, while you sit on Mt Olympus---oops Lookout, and hurl your insults from the safety of your PC

I am glad that someone who knows something about him would speak up!

[amdrea ashford]

Originally Posted by wilson1010

I'll say to you what I said to others who know nothing about OTR:



And you, Amdrea, know nothing of what you speak. I assume all you know you learned from a piece in the Enquirer. Smitty's was a cesspool for pimps and thugs and prostitutes and bums. If that is your constituency, good for you. A good place to get a pimp hat or a black hoodie. If Smitty cashed a few checks for free, I applaud him, but his place of business will not be missed by those in the know about OTR.

So sad you can't even get some of the smallest facts right... Let me just set the record straight on a few things.
1. you might not like pink suits but some people do. that isn't the only thing he had to sell and FYI it is mostly the older generation who wear them.
2. if your "tenants were wearing a pr of stacys they shopped at Smitty's. He cashed a ton of social security checks and yes he would walk them home, go get their check and bring their money back to them and even bring them groceries when they are sick
3. there is NO Smitty's crowd! there were only a couple of people who worked there. everything was done by him and his family.
4. he doesn't own the sidewalk! he puts up with NO crap from anyone and all who live around their respect him for it! Just because you see a young black male with his underwear showing DOES NOT mean he is a dealer or a pimp! If smitty knew a young man headed for trouble he would lecture them or call their grandma or cuss them out...he has known most of the people since they were babies. he took it personal when one of them would get in trouble just as much as he is proud of them when they graduate, get married, go to prom or turn their life around. He is not as judgemental as you are.
4. his name is NOT ashcraft you IDIOT! at least TRY to get your fact staight before you open your over opinionated mouth!