Over 2,600 Grocery Store Support Signatures Gathered
KSAL Staff - Thu 04:40 PM 02/14/2013
Organizer Jon Blanchard stands outside an empty store at 511 E. Iron, the site of the rally.
Organizers of an effort to attract a grocery store to north Salina gathered over 2,600 names on a petition.
According to the Salina organization North Salina Community Development, 2,639 signatures were collected in a 2 week pledge drive effort to show that there is support for an East Iron neighborhood grocery store. That figure includes 300 people who signed petitions in a 45 minute rally in the parking lot of the former East Iron Dillon’s on January 23rd.
A Facebook page, “Grocery Store on East Iron,” dedicated to the cause reached 6,143 persons and had 153 likes in the same time frame. The former Dillon’s store was the only grocery store north of Crawford, serving the north side of Salina.
Organizers Jon Blanchard and Greg Stephens started the effort to demonstrate the large grass roots support and interest for a future potential grocery store at the same location.
Comments ranged from accessibility needs that would be served for the sizable population of elderly or disabled residents nearby and the convenience of a neighborhood store that would be near downtown employees. Surprisingly, many people said they would change their shopping habits to support a smaller, independent grocery store.
A final pledge drive wrap-up event is in the planning stages.
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hillbilly
Thursday 14 February 2013 17:44 Report this comment
What is the purpose of this petition other than getting signatures, likes and opinions? What entity is this petition going to be submitted to? Who is going to pay for the property, the improvements and the grocery?
InsideOut
Thursday 14 February 2013 18:10 Report this comment
This is big. Based on other factors, 2600 signatures means support for the store is a much higher number. If I were looking to open a store, I'd give anything to have this kind of tremendous guerrilla marketing working for me.
ROCKER
Thursday 14 February 2013 19:24 Report this comment
if a grocery store opened up , the only thing id buy would be lottery tickets ,,,
t--bone
Friday 15 February 2013 09:04 Report this comment
I would think this group would be contacting different companies or real estate repesentatives for different companies to see of any interest. A petition alone is not going to do to much.
t--bone
Friday 15 February 2013 09:06 Report this comment
One other thing I failed to mention is us taxpayers do not see any help on this from our chamber of commerce who we spend 100's of thousands of dollars on giving them every year. It shows how much they really care.
TheCleaner
Friday 15 February 2013 19:43 Report this comment
Oh yea that hot shot at the chamber that just brings in fast food restaurants. Why don't they get rid of him and get a go getter in here that would jump on an opportunity to get involved in something like this.
Aurora.
Saturday 16 February 2013 02:05 Report this comment
Folks its very simple the only time any of these "big wigs" in our city care about those North of Crawford Street is when they wish to be elected or want to raise our taxes otherwise they have all of us at the bottom of the pile. They cater to those up on the "Hill" and those to the south of Crawford. Take a map out and plot some of these people and where they live and you will see the truth in my statement.
hillbilly
Saturday 16 February 2013 05:14 Report this comment
There is one problem with your comment Aurora. The Chamber is not a City entity. The city via the citizens tax dollars simply funds part of the chamber. It is not the cities nor the chambers responsibility to monitor or demand locations of businesses other than code and zoning issues. Please get your facts straight before dogging the city.
hillbilly
Saturday 16 February 2013 05:22 Report this comment
One other thing that I want to mention. When I worked for the city I saw quite a few proposals for CBDG's, specifically for the as ya all call it "North End". Public hearings were held to educate citizens about the proposed improvements. 9 times out of 10 the citizens that lived along the proposed improvements did not want the projects to happen. They cited reasons such as but I do not want to dedicate tights-of-way, we like our country style living, we do not want to pay any additional taxes, etc, etc. The thing is, is all the citizens would have had to do is agree to the projects, allow some streets to be constructed and maybe give a little bit of right of way. The projects were proposed completely free, no assessments, no tax hikes, etc. My point is this..the City cannot please everyone in it boundaries because some of you will not allow it with your negativity.
Aurora.
Saturday 16 February 2013 09:22 Report this comment
Well hillbilly that sure enlightens me where you come from on your statements if you were part of the city machine. True the chamber is a separate entity but their main job is to bring business to our city now is that not true. So tell me why do they concentrate on everything South of Crawford Street. The fact still remains those in charge care very little about those North of Salina which many are older and poorer citizens. I bet you do not live in the North end of town now do you?