New Convenience Store - 20th and Carpenter?

[Dwntwnfam]

HAHAH - exactly...while you joke...this is really how people talk to one another on this forum.

[Dwntwnfam]

PBResident - while I am sure if feels good to take credit for all that is annoying here on the blog, your example was just one that I cited. You clearly are someone who is just sitting and waiting for a good fight on the blog all day. You don't know what I've done for the neighborhood and for that corner specifically and I am not someone who is going to defend myself to a stranger online. I am not insulted by you and I this message back will be the extent to which I "deal" with you. You probably do have many good things to say but your "humor" really makes you sound like an arrogant creep.

[PBResident]

PBResident - while I am sure if feels good to take credit for all that is annoying here on the blog, your example was just one that I cited. You clearly are someone who is just sitting and waiting for a good fight on the blog all day. You don't know what I've done for the neighborhood and for that corner specifically and I am not someone who is going to defend myself to a stranger online. I am not insulted by you and I this message back will be the extent to which I "deal" with you. You probably do have many good things to say but your "humor" really makes you sound like an arrogant creep.

[strohs]

Attention fellow graduate hospital residents:

[poopdotcom]

No it does not automatically make it a magnet for crime. But the bullet proof glass loudly announces that you expect that crime is par for the course and you are going to run your business whether it happens or not. Basically it says, "I don't care. I expect it. Whatever is fine with me."

How is protecting yourself from crime tantamount to being indifferent towards crime?

Do you lock your doors? I hope not. That would be like admitting that crime is par for the course and that you are going to continue living there whether it happens or not. You are basically saying, "I don't care. I expect it. Whatever is fine with me."

In fact, I think that Mr. and Mrs. Lolly should go around and carefully inspect all of their neighbor's doors and see who is locking theirs. Then they should start a grass roots letter writing campaign to let them know that those kind of people are not welcome in their neighborhood.

The real reason why the bullet proof glass has your "panties in a bunch" is because you would like to imagine that you live in a neighborhood where that sort of thing is unnecessary... even though that is not reality. You are upset because this store is ruining your little fantasy.

I think my favorite part of this whole thread was Lolly saying that, "I would fight THIS monstrosity tooth and nail where-ever it proposed to be."

[OffenseTaken]

I have to confess, you inspired me to look up poop.com. Very disappointing!

How is protecting yourself from crime tantamount to being indifferent towards crime?

Do you lock your doors? I hope not. That would be like admitting that crime is par for the course and that you are going to continue living there whether it happens or not. You are basically saying, "I don't care. I expect it. Whatever is fine with me."

Yes, we all want to be vigilant, but no one would be fighting a simple act of vigilance for aesthetic reasons. It's more complicated than that, and here's why:

• A shop owner who walls himself in is not bearing the same risk as his neighbors or his customers; consequently, he will be less concerned about minimizing that risk. Instead he pushes that concern onto everyone else.
  
  If I lock my doors, then yes, this heightens the risk of a home invasion for people who don't lock theirs, but the answer is simply for them to lock their doors. You cannot expect anyone who walks into or even by the Reyes Grocery to carry a pistol and put on riot gear, which would be the equivalent.
  
  
• Out of the 12 commercial establishments (by my count) that are now along 20th in the half-mile from Federal to Lombard, the Reyes Grocery is the only one that has taken this drastic measure. Even though they're lucky enough to set up shop in a much safer neighborhood than most of the others did. You don't find this a little odd?
  
  It says little about the actual incidence of crime in the neighborhood, but it says volumes about the crime the proprietors of Reyes Grocery anticipate drawing to their own establishment specifically.
  
  
• It will be kryptonite to property values. If you're a homeowner in the area who's bought some time in the past decade (and I do assume you live near here, whether you own or rent), you have probably put in a substantial effort in making this a more livable neighborhood. Now imagine that you're putting up your house for sale: on the way to or from your open house, prospective buyers visit the Reyes Grocery. Perhaps they're open-minded enough to smile when they see the awning with the photo collage of trans fats, but then they run in to buy something and immediately have it in their minds that it's that kind of neighborhood—and it isn't, of course, unless the Reyes Grocery fulfills its own prophecy.
  
  However much you insist that it's a wonderful area, they're just not going to make the same offer on your house that they will on a similar one that doesn't have sketchy businesses around the corner. So you have to reduce, and so does everyone else on the block, and your house will sit on the market longer.
  
  Landlords may even have to ask less of future tenants, since no one wants to pay SWCC rents to live near an obvious crime magnet. And if you rent and plan to stay for the long haul, you don't want to be around for the drop in QOL that can result.
  

The real reason why the bullet proof glass has your "panties in a bunch" is because you would like to imagine that you live in a neighborhood where that sort of thing is unnecessary... even though that is not reality. You are upset because this store is ruining your little fantasy.

Like I said, there are about a dozen commercial establishments within a quarter-mile along 20th, and they all seem to be living in the same "fantasy." Since you have a much more keen awareness of the dangers involved, perhaps you should go warn them, because they apparently have no idea what a robbery is!

Conversely, there is no neighborhood or town that is absolved from the risk of armed aggression: Bryn Mawr (Wawa, more than once in the past year) and Marlton, NJ (the Apple Store, twice in 18 months) get their fair share, too. So I'm a little confused about the standard of "necessity" that you're suggesting.

If it seems like some of the other posters on this thread have been a little heated, it's because they have a lot on their shoulders. I won't speak much on Lolly's behalf, but she's not always as vitriolic as you make it sound: she also wrote upthread that she wants to see the Reyes Grocery succeed. I think it's a sentiment we all agree with; we just don't want their success to be our detriment.

[The Count]

Wow - sure are a lot of amateur trolls on this thread.

Here are the facts:

1) awning is garish and unsightly.

2) bullet proof glass is an indication of the type of customers this bodega expects to attract.

3) multiple code violations

4) owners won't give a rats about a couple letters from "concerned residents" especially once they start moving baggies, scratch-offs, and Mountain Dew like they're going out of style, (which they are in some neighborhoods but apparently not this one).

5) this place will do a ton of business.

[benfox]

So this is the same Reye's that used to be at 22nd & St. Albans? I always thought the owner just changed the business's name to Kennedy's to make it seem more...mainstream.

Ben

[PBResident]

Stopped in for a another beautiful bottle of Fiji water this morning.

Had a great conversation with Ellie. She's really nice. Lots of laughs about you people.

Requested that they start selling Triscuits (helps with my bowel movements).

Next time one of you goes in there crying…don't be offended if she comes out from behind the counter and stares at your hind end.

I told her, "Todas estas personas tienen palos en sus culos."

Also got her to consider changing the name to Reyes Rittenhouse Grocery.

That may help with your property value worries.

I said, "Maybe they will let you keep the big signs if they say Rittenhouse all over them."

Then Ellie said, "But we are just 2 blocks away from Washington Avenue. This is not Rittenhouse. It's almost Point Breeze."

I said, "I know…But it will be easier if you just go along with the fantasy."

She looked at me, smiled, and said, "I love you. I wish you were the President of SOSNA."

Then I said, "I know. But I live just on the other side of Washington. I'm not allowed to have an opinion on what goes on a few blocks away from me."

She said, "I know. Tonight...I dream that you are SOSNA President just like they dream this is Rittenhouse. See you tomorrow."

As I walked out, I turned to her and said, "Hey. I love you too. Don't forget about the Triscuits ok?"

[Lolly]

So this is the same Reye's that used to be at 22nd & St. Albans? I always thought the owner just changed the business's name to Kennedy's to make it seem more...mainstream.

Ben

No I don't think there is any affiliation. Reyes is a fairly common name. Doing a Google search, I think they are more likely a chain from North Philly. (https://www.google.com/search?q=reye...w=1093&bih=479)

Yesterday Mr. Lolly and I received a nice letter back from Mr. Pedro Reyes, in response to the one we'd delivered via Ellie -- with whom we also had a very nice friendly chat -- on Monday night. As soon as I get my scanner working I'll plan to post details, including my reply. (Will be sure to put in a good word re: Fiji water and Triscuits.) I'm optimistic we're getting somewhere now.

[flibble]

...Also got her to consider changing the name to Reyes Rittenhouse Grocery...

.

[Teddy215]

Did they take them down? Just saw a contractor-ish pickup truck cruising down Carpenter at 18th with a huge red & yellow sign tied to the truck bed that said "Reyes" something. Figured if they were going east they were taking the signs away...not bringing more.

[PBResident]

Yup they have been removed.

Our bodies and property values are safe again.

Did they take them down? Just saw a contractor-ish pickup truck cruising down Carpenter at 18th with a huge red & yellow sign tied to the truck bed that said "Reyes" something. Figured if they were going east they were taking the signs away...not bringing more.

[BrianL]

Yup they have been removed.

Our bodies and property values are safe again.

We are all safe now!! OK what is the next bitch session going to be about?

[Litter Box]

It seems as if you have a good neighbor, it would be nice to thank them for their consideration.

[The Count]

Yup they have been removed.

Our bodies and property values are safe again.

Kudos to the neighbors on sticking it to the Mexicans.

[seand]

Kudos to the neighbors on sticking it to the Mexicans.

I realize you are joking but isn't it the Domicans and Koreans who specialize in operating corner stores in Philly? In this case, more likely than not Dominicans?

[The Count]

I realize you are joking but isn't it the Domicans and Koreans who specialize in operating corner stores in Philly? In this case, more likely than not Dominicans?

Whatever.

Good news is that the white neighbors came together and put the boots to these puerto ricans.

I look forward to PBResident's next trip to this bodega for overpriced "artesian" water.

[seand]

Hey, i'm just trying to keep the stereotypes straight here.

[OffenseTaken]

It seems as if you have a good neighbor, it would be nice to thank them for their consideration.

It would be nice, although since it was a legal issue, "consideration" isn't exactly relevant.