Wal-Mart stores are celebrated by some as a bastion of low-priced goods and convenience. Others revile Wal-Mart, arguing that the megastore steals the soul of the community by forcing quirky, funky local shops out-of-business. There’s a brand new Wal-Mart under construction on 34th Street in the historic Kenwood neighborhood of St. Petersburg, just a couple of blocks from local sports bar Georgie’s Alibi. I thought I’d ask how Georgie’s and other businesses were reacting to the news. Surprisingly, considering Wal-Mart’s ability to polarize, the answer to my question is with relative indifference.Wal-Mart is building a smaller, scaled-down version of its store on the northeast corner or 34th Street and First Avenue North, without a garden or automotive center. This is not a gesture of mercy towards area business, the 107,000-square-foot facility complies with local zoning regulations, and so the retailer does not require any special permission to begin construction. According to City Council member Jeff Danner, they’ve adjusted their strategy so they don’t have to go to public hearings. But Danner isn’t angry at Wal-Mart for dodging the hearing. In fact, Danner said he suggested Wal-Mart build on this site years ago. A Wal-Mart spokesperson told the St. Petersburg Times that the company wants to work with Kenwood, as well as the nearby Central Oak Park neighborhood, to be sure the store blends in. Jim Longstreth, president of the Historic Kenwood Neighborhood Association, described the plans for the new store as resembling a bungalow – a 107,000-square-foot bungalow. That seems to me like a pretty optimistic way for the president of a neighborhood association to characterize an encroaching Wal-Mart.
Georgie’s Alibi has been located on 31st street in Kenwood for over a decade. The popular sports bar has grown to encompass nearly a whole shopping plaza; it features 31 HD televisions; hosts games and contests, such as bingo on Monday nights; and offers generous happy-hour specials. I asked Frank, the manager, what he thought about the new Wal-Mart being built three blocks away from his bar, which is situated just across the street from some of the oldest homes in St. Petersburg. Frank told me he didn’t have a strong opinion either way. He said if the new store brings more people to the area, then it’s probably a good thing for Georgie’s.
To be fair, sports bars are not typically the type of business a store like Wal-Mart damages the most. Independent retailers and grocers in the area are probably more up-in-arms over the issue. I would have expected the people of Kenwood to be more upset, and perhaps some of them are, but they will not have a voice. The site used to be home to a Diamond Furniture Gallery and a Super Parts auto store – I doubt either will be missed. Wal-Mart does bring new jobs, but they are not typically the type of jobs that can revitalize an area. However, given the present hard economic times and the overall condition of 34th Street, maybe some new jobs are better than no new jobs. Perhaps no one is quite sure what will happen as a result of the Wal-Mart moving in, I guess we’ll all have to wait and see.
Its so interesting to me that the business owners don't seem overly concerned. I'd be really worried about changing traffic patters, neighborhood demographics, etc.
ReplyDeleteI want to give you props for ethical journalism, though -- you presented all sides of the story really fairly, despite the fact that the response from the business owners didn't necessarily synch up with your original assumptions.
Thank you. I still think that land could be better used, there are already two Wal-Marts on 34th street.
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