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I'm not saying anything, but just relaying what is/why this is occurring.
Crime may be one reason for food deserts, but you can also have deserts in areas due to company decisions. An example of this is Prince George's County MD, which is know as the most "affluent" predominantly black county/area in the country, but it also is known for not having major, high end retail, in spite of that fact. So, some of this is based on company decisions, which could include retail trends(i.e.-online shopping).
Company decisions are ALWAYS made. Is there any other way to run a business? Those company decisions are based on facts and prior experience. A business operates to make a profit, and if it doesn't it closes. Often there are stockholders and partnerships.
I know who you're thinking of, but Wegman's just opened 2 stores in NYC, with zero parking spaces. NYC has a much more desirable clientele than Hudson ave, so they made a "decision" to locate there.
Company decisions are ALWAYS made. Is there any other way to run a business? Those company decisions are based on facts and prior experience. A business operates to make a profit, and if it doesn't it closes. Often there are stockholders and partnerships.
I know who you're thinking of, but Wegman's just opened 2 stores in NYC, with zero parking spaces. NYC has a much more desirable clientele than Hudson ave, so they made a "decision" to locate there.
The main point that the linked article keeps harping on, is that these "deserts" exist because of racial discrimination. Obviously, the author completely ignores that stores exist to make a profit, by supplying goods and services, at a reasonable price. Stores CANNOT exist when they are getting robbed and shoplifted to death!!
If people are unhappy that their neighborhood stores no longer exist, and are wondering why, all they have to do is look in the mirror.
Although not as critical, the same situation exists with new car dealerships. I've been a "car guy" all of my life, and have a few friends that are, too. We had gotten together one day, and the conversation turned to how few new car dealerships there are within the city of Rochester. We started reminiscing, and did a "rough count" of how many there were, at one time, in the City of Rochester. We came up with 12-14, if I recall correctly.
How many are there within the city limits, today?? ONE, the Volvo dealership on University Avenue, at the eastern fringe of the city. Yes, some have closed simply because the manufacturers simply dropped the line, like Oldsmobile, Pontiac, Rambler, and Studebaker. In other cases, the owners wanted to retire, but nobody else wanted to take over, at least in the city. Bottom line, most of the owners who were questioned, VERY discreetly said that the rate of vandalism to cars on their lots, was too much to deal with, so they relocated to the suburbs. See the trend???
The main point that the linked article keeps harping on, is that these "deserts" exist because of racial discrimination. Obviously, the author completely ignores that stores exist to make a profit, by supplying goods and services, at a reasonable price. Stores CANNOT exist when they are getting robbed and shoplifted to death!!
If people are unhappy that their neighborhood stores no longer exist, and are wondering why, all they have to do is look in the mirror.
Although not as critical, the same situation exists with new car dealerships. I've been a "car guy" all of my life, and have a few friends that are, too. We had gotten together one day, and the conversation turned to how few new car dealerships there are within the city of Rochester. We started reminiscing, and did a "rough count" of how many there were, at one time, in the City of Rochester. We came up with 12-14, if I recall correctly.
How many are there within the city limits, today?? ONE, the Volvo dealership on University Avenue, at the eastern fringe of the city. Yes, some have closed simply because the manufacturers simply dropped the line, like Oldsmobile, Pontiac, Rambler, and Studebaker. In other cases, the owners wanted to retire, but nobody else wanted to take over, at least in the city. Bottom line, most of the owners who were questioned, VERY discreetly said that the rate of vandalism to cars on their lots, was too much to deal with, so they relocated to the suburbs. See the trend???
I never realized until now, that I live in a food desert. there are 2 corner stores, each about a mile away, but neither sells fruits and veggies. A Wegmans is about 7 miles away, but I need a car to get there. Not even fast food joints till you get near the Wegmans. Where do I complain? Never once have I thought they located so far from my house because of racism, but maybe it is.
The main point that the linked article keeps harping on, is that these "deserts" exist because of racial discrimination. Obviously, the author completely ignores that stores exist to make a profit, by supplying goods and services, at a reasonable price. Stores CANNOT exist when they are getting robbed and shoplifted to death!!
If people are unhappy that their neighborhood stores no longer exist, and are wondering why, all they have to do is look in the mirror.
Although not as critical, the same situation exists with new car dealerships. I've been a "car guy" all of my life, and have a few friends that are, too. We had gotten together one day, and the conversation turned to how few new car dealerships there are within the city of Rochester. We started reminiscing, and did a "rough count" of how many there were, at one time, in the City of Rochester. We came up with 12-14, if I recall correctly.
How many are there within the city limits, today?? ONE, the Volvo dealership on University Avenue, at the eastern fringe of the city. Yes, some have closed simply because the manufacturers simply dropped the line, like Oldsmobile, Pontiac, Rambler, and Studebaker. In other cases, the owners wanted to retire, but nobody else wanted to take over, at least in the city. Bottom line, most of the owners who were questioned, VERY discreetly said that the rate of vandalism to cars on their lots, was too much to deal with, so they relocated to the suburbs. See the trend???
You kind of make the point beyond the simple, it is crime point, as there are other factors involved like market trends, labor trends, etc. That is the point I was making and what the article is making, which states more than racial discrimination, by the way. It isn’t simply crime, as you get retail theft, etc. in suburban areas as well.
In fact, a market trend aspect that is local to Rochester is when Wegmans closed a lot of its local city stores, minus the East Avenue store, due to moving towards a large building size model. Ironically, it is going back to a (relatively)smaller store model in other states/locations: https://progressivegrocer.com/wegman...sylvania-store
From Wegmans themselves from a couple of years ago: https://www.wegmans.com/news-media/a...ilding-stores/
From the article: "Some believe the solution to this problem is for Wegmans to build a store in areas that are considered food deserts. We operate a high-volume, low-price business; we require a lot of customers shopping in our stores to achieve the volume needed to be successful. We employ roughly 500 people per store to provide the high service customers have come to expect from Wegmans. We know from experience that this business model is not effective in all geographic areas. Bringing a high-volume retailer to these areas could potentially deter a smaller full-service food retailer – whose business model is a better fit – from moving in, or take business away from existing bodegas and small businesses in that area."
So, that is an example of how a company's business model/philosophy plays a part in this.
Also, in terms of the other post, the difference is that you chose a car dependent environment to live in. So, that is a choice versus where many in these food deserts have pretty much historically have a limited option for where they could live, as cities tend to be where most lower/working/lower middle class income folks live in an area.
Last edited by ckhthankgod; 02-22-2024 at 07:11 AM..
Also, in terms of the other post, the difference is that you chose a car dependant environment to live in. So, that is a choice versus where many in these food deserts have pretty much historically have a limited option for where they could live, as cities tend to be where most lower/working income folks live in an area.
Yes, and those folks make choices every day to live a "lower/working income", and tend to blame others for their place in life. That's a sure sign of not improving yourself. All of the "programs" also blame, and to make people feel complacent, but they're not
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