Maybe having volunteered at Philabundance as a PGW employee in North Philly, I got to see firsthand how much food Philabudance provides to the poor. The volume is amazing.
To know that they are coming to Chester with a new concept is exciting to me. So many people will benefit from having good food available right in the city.
That’s why I can’t understand why some of our politicians are hesitant to give their wholehearted support.
“We want (our residents) to be able to obtain fresh fruit and vegetables and Philabundance can do that, but I did want to obtain the city’s support for a full-fledged supermarket,” said Democratic City Councilwoman Portia West.
State Rep. Thaddeus Kirkland, D-159, of Chester was more to the point in registering his concern over the opening of another food bank in Chester.
“I hope that we’re not becoming the social services capital of the world. We do have a number of food banks and with all that’s going on down on the waterfront, with all the revitalization, I would hope that we move in a direction that would empower people,” said Kirkland. (Click HERE for more)
State Rep. Thaddeus Kirkland, D-159, of Chester was more to the point in registering his concern over the opening of another food bank in Chester.
“I hope that we’re not becoming the social services capital of the world. We do have a number of food banks and with all that’s going on down on the waterfront, with all the revitalization, I would hope that we move in a direction that would empower people,” said Kirkland. (Click HERE for more)
We’ve been beating this full fledged supermarket concept for a long time with no end in sight. If the concern is food, we don’t need a full fledged supermarket, we need food.
Tina Johnson will soon open her expanded Chester Food Co-op on Avenue of the States which features the best fruits and vegetables grown locally at a very affordable price. The Chester Farmers Market goes a step further by offering a variety of cooked and fresh meats.
Now, with Philabundance coming, tons of canned, boxed, and bagged foods will be within arms reach. Unfortunately, Goff’s snuck out of town so we are without a source of fresh fish.
The only problem I have with full fledged supermarkets is that most of them don’t focus on food. Go to any Pathmark, Giant, or Acme and count the aisles with food and those with non food. The non food aisles normally win. Why, because there is a greater profit margin on a box of Tide than a can of beans.
Chester folks need food.
Welcome Philabundance and Chester Food Co-op. Hopefully, you’ll both get the support you deserve.
Thanks Stefan for your support. We too, at Philabundance have been a bit confused by the response to our announcement. Nevertheless, the residents of Chester need and deserve ample access to a full array of fresh fruits, vegetables, dairy and meat products. We can't do it all but we can play a part and we're glade to do it. -Bill Clark, President of Philabundance
ReplyDeletewhy do u think a supermarket does not want to open in chester ?
ReplyDeleteNothing wrong with Philabundance; it's much needed. The point of criticism is why do state, county, and city subsidies so easily line up behind a casino or soccer stadium but not a supermarket. The answer cannot be because it won't be profitable. Without tax-funded subsidies, the casino and stadium wouldn't be profitable either.
ReplyDeleteAsk yourself why we dont have a supper market? Ask yourself why we have a school system in such a mess? Ask yourself why we have all this volience? Ask yourself why there is such a drug promblem with our youth. With out some of these questions being fixed, I hate to say it Chester will never be a safe place for anyone let alone a supper market. Why would a supper market want to come in a open in a city that sell drugs, shoots, robs one another?
ReplyDeleteMr. Kirkland is not saying Philadabundance is a bad thing. He is simply expressing the fear that the city of Chester will eventually survive solely on handouts. A supermarket is needed. Yes Philabundance is great and having fresh food and veggies is wonderful, but people need to be used to BUYING THEIR OWN food. Not waiting in line to get food, after they have met with City Team to get their pampers, and the welfare office for their transpass. The need is for this community to flourish through actually positive growth. Not social services coming to the rescue. The new generation needs and WANTS to get used to an independent life. One where they can be proud of what they do. More needs to be invested to change Chester around. Not simply get people better STUFFS within a terrible neighborhood. This all starts with parents. BE MORE STRICT WITH YOUR CHILDREN.
ReplyDeleteTo Anonymous 2
ReplyDeleteA supermarket doesn’t want to open in Chester for several reasons, with the main one being, there are too many supermarkets within a 5 mile radius of Chester.
From my home, right in the middle of Chester, here they are:
Sam & Sam - Upland
0.6 miles
Amelia’s - Woodlyn
1.9 miles
Save-A-Lot - Brookhaven
1.7 miles
Shop Rite - Eddystone
2.2 miles
Giant
Brookhaven 2.5 miles
Aston 3 miles
Pathmark
Brookhaven 2.7 miles
Morton 3.9 miles
Boothwyn 4 miles
Booths Corner
Boothwyn 4.8 miles
Food Lion
Claymont 5.3 miles
If a supermarket is built in Chester, the folks shopping in those other towns are not going to stop going to their store to come to Chester. And, many Chester folks will continue to drive to those other stores.
Therefore, there will not be enough customers to support a stand alone supermarket in Chester.
Unfortunately, those without transportation are suffering. But, if a supermarket went up on the far west side of Chester (Highland Ave near I-95 for example), the folks on Chester’s east side are still closer to Amelia’s, Sam & Sam, and Shop Rite.
If there was only 1 supermarket within a 5 mile radius of Chester, what would make a chain set up a store in most impoverished area of the county? It doesn’t make any business sense at all.
Now, if the promised high-end residential/retail center near the soccer stadium is ever built, a chain may consider coming when they know they have a captive high income customer along with other retailers surrounding them that will bring folks from out of town and other parts of the city.
Until then, don’t hold your breath.
Anonymous 2
Hasn’t the state already subsidized potential grocery stores by making Keystone Opportunity Zones available for them to avoid paying property taxes. Although time is running out for that subsidy, that was a major selling point to Harrah’s and the soccer stadium to build when and where they did.
Other subsidies were kicked in because it’s a pretty sure bet that they’re going to get that money back from the casino in gaming taxes and income taxes. Although not as lucrative, the stadium deal gives the county the land if they go belly-up. There is a good chance of getting a payback rather quickly in both cases.
However, there is no government agency that will subsidize a supermarket, even if it’s built in an affluent neighborhood.
Even if the government establishes a social policy to subsidize poor neighborhoods with supermarkets, Chester would not be high on the list. Cities far larger than Chester with many more people don’t have markets -- they call it an urban desert.
Anonymous 3
Pathmark was bold enough to open in Harlem NY and was very successful. Most NYers don’t drive, and their neighborhoods are very dense with people. Despite the crime, schools, and drugs, it was worth the risk because people gotta eat. Unlike Chester, the chance of those people within a 1 mile radius of the store going somewhere else to shop is extremely slim.
Anonymous 4
When nearly 1 out of 4 of us are under the poverty line, this city will remain of social services. A Chester supermarket will receive a good deal of revenue from the Access Card and WIC. If good food was a priority, we’d be supporting the Chester Farmers Market and the Chester Co-op like we support the Chinese food stores, hoagie shops, and the fried chicken joints. Only a higher average income in Chester will bring us better goods and services. Once more of us get jobs, more of us will eat better.
what we need first is everyone to rally and put and end to all the nonsence, and I dont mean for a dog and pony show. We all need to ASK OURSELFS how can we do this? We need our parents to stand up and be responsable for their children. The cycle needs to stop and so dose the blame game. With the price of realeaste now in the city we should be out there asking BIG business to come into our 4.8 mile city that sits along the water and build. A supper market would be great. Other business would be great but when you have the promblems we have its hard. We are lucky to have a casiano, and stadium. We have been reling on goverment hand outs for to long, the poor have lost all there pride. Why should someone go out and flip burgers and make a small pay check when you can get 950.00 for rent, a food card, ssi, and much more. 4.8 miles we need to fix ourselfs. Maybe a supper market is a start, if it fails ask yourself who do we blame? Parents need to be held for their childrens actions,when 10,11,12,13,etc are out on the streets late at night running around without supervision thats a promblem. All our promblems will not go away until we fix ourselfs. Maybe we can start but not littering all over the place. Drive around people and look at the neighbor hoods and look at all the trash and drug bags? Ask yourself can we fix ourselfs?
ReplyDelete