neighborhood rally – Individual Empowerment

“Once again I find mysef up against a giant, but not alone, never alone.”

I was raised with an idea of community and small business. I haven’t always lived in places where either of those ideas thrived , but I now fully embrace and understand those are a vital part of creating a sustainable world. In college I worked for Target and had a good experience with my supervisors and coworkers. Until this last month I regularly shopped at Target for a few items like contact solution or hair bands. But now, I see they are just as bad as Wal Mart(see: the Behemouth that Bent). I paid twice as much for contact solution elsewhere, even though I’m living on a budget. It just didn’t feel right going into Target. In fact I felt kinda dirty!

These big chain stores take away customers from smaller businesses, create high traffic areas, and sell very little if any local or American made procurs. I completely support communities who want to keep big box and chains out of their neighborhoods. I had a chance to do so recently.

In San Diego there is a cute little community called South Park which is home to several local busineses stores, cafes and restaurants. A mostly residential community it is void of the usual big box stores in other areas. The only chain I is a 7-Eleven gas station. In this community sits an empty building that used to be a grocery store. Target Corporation wants to renovate it into a “Target Express” which much like the growing and infamous “Wal -Mart Neighborhood Market” is taking over and putting small grocers and pharmacies out of business!

Last Sunday I attended a rally to stop Target from opening it’s store. The turnout was 100 people, adults, elderly and children alike, who loudly proclamied they did not want this or any other chain stores to move into the area. Instead they say, turn it into a grocer, locally owned Barons grocery is apparently interested.

Resident Ernie M. who has lived here for 75 years said even if Target was creating good in the world, “It just doesn’t fit here”. Other residents such as Christina W. who moved here from the suburbs said she didn’t want to lose their small town neighborhood feel. After a few rousing speeches residents marched around the area with “Not in South Park” signs. There was an information table including, free pins and free yard signs as well as, live music and free food from the nearby Big Kitchen restaurant. The organizers are raising funds to create a town council to not just stop this store, but for the ability to be well aware of future projects that threaten their community.

Another reason to dislike Target’s move into the neighborhood? They’ve divided a community into those who realize the store would slowly eat away at the local economy and those who want it for conevenience. Just the idea of Target is not good for this community!