Thread: Texas: Farmers Branch Grocer Problem

Grocer rumor raises tension

Movement to keep Carnival out of FB leads to more racism claims


11:16 PM CDT on Thursday, March 15, 2007
By STEPHANIE SANDOVAL / The Dallas Morning News
ssandoval@dallasnews.com

A rumor that Farmers Branch may be getting a grocery store that caters to the Hispanic market has touched off a controversy in a city where tensions already are high over the illegal immigration issue.

A group of residents has been calling Minyard Food Stores Inc. to say they want a Minyard store at the southeast corner of Valley View and Josey lanes – not a Carnival, which serves primarily Hispanic shoppers. Minyard operates the Carnival chain.

A widely distributed e-mail by City Council candidate Tim Scott encourages residents to call the company to say they want a Minyard, not a Carnival. That has prompted others to distribute fliers or go door-to-door with the same message. Mr. Scott said that he doesn't recall who told him about the store's possible arrival but that he heard it from a couple of people.

The movement to keep Carnival out has angered some residents, who say the effort is racially motivated and an attempt to keep out a store that would be favored by Hispanics.

"I am so sick, my stomach is upset," said Elizabeth Villafranca, president of the Farmers Branch chapter of the League of United Latin American Citizens. "This is a person that is running for City Council, trying to control which businesses come in and out of the city based on his own prejudices. ... They are so prejudiced, but they don't want to face it."

Mr. Scott said that at issue is the quality of store he wants for the Four Corners shopping center – not race.

"I don't think we need any sort of ultra-discount store in there at all. We're a town of ultra discounts as it is," Mr. Scott said.

He said he and others want a store that is more upscale than Carnival and would have broader community appeal.

"My perspective has nothing to do with any racial [thing] whatsoever," Mr. Scott said. "There's no anti-Hispanic grocery store movement. It's all about what's best for Farmers Branch and what is best for the Four Corners."

Some see the issue as an extension of the city's debate over illegal immigrants. Residents will vote May 12 on whether to implement a proposed city ordinance that would ban apartments from renting to illegal immigrants.

Mr. Scott criticized those who say it's a racial issue.

"It's so interesting because it shouldn't be stirring up a lot of tensions," he said. "People who want to make this an issue have latched on to it."

City officials said the city could use more grocery stores after a Super Saver store closed last year. But they said they have had no conversations with Minyard representatives or the broker handling the property about plans for the site.

Another rumor is that Brookshire Brothers plans to open a grocery store at Four Corners.

"Everybody's going nuts, and all we hear are rumors," said Michael Spicer, the city's community services director. "We don't know what's going on, but obviously some people have some ideas. How well grounded it is, we'll see."

Paul Heilmann, senior vice president of marketing and strategy for Minyard, would not confirm or deny that his company is considering the site.

He did say, however, that the company has identified Carnival as its "primary growth vehicle."

Last August, the Coppell-based company opened a 56,000-square-foot flagship Carnival supermarket in Oak Cliff as a testing ground for the expanding chain. That store is billed as having the feel of an upscale market with discount prices.

"We would invite anyone to come visit that store in Oak Cliff to get a sense of where we're going with the Carnival brand," Mr. Heilmann said. "It's a Latino-themed grocery store that is aimed at fulfilling the needs and wants of the customers in the neighborhoods we serve."

Four Corners is in one of the city's biggest commercial districts. But most of its buildings were erected more than 30 years ago. And city officials say that luring retailers to the area is difficult because most prefer to go to outer-ring suburbs like Frisco, Coppell and Lewisville, where the number of people, and their incomes, are higher.

The rumor is that Minyard may take over an empty building that was erected in 1959 and was occupied by Skaggs Alpha Beta for years. Albertson's moved into the building in August 1991. It became a Super Saver in December 2004 and closed late last summer.

Shortly after the store closed, the city adopted an ordinance requiring that the City Council approve any new businesses that will occupy 20,000 feet or more in Four Corners.

Former City Council member Junie Smith said that with almost 40 percent of the Farmers Branch population Hispanic, a Carnival store would fare well in the city. She said that opponents of a Carnival store moving in don't like the idea for racial reasons.

"In my opinion, it is obviously derogatory of the Hispanic community," Ms. Smith said. "I am sure that if a Carnival was placed there, it would make a fortune while providing goods to an already-defined population group. But I know this type of establishment does not fall in the grand design for the redevelopment of the Four Corners area."

City Council member Tim O'Hare, the driving force behind the city's illegal immigration proposals, said he is against a Carnival store at that location, but not because Carnival caters to Hispanics.

"I think it is a reasonable thing to wish for to have a grocery store that appeals to higher-end consumers," he said.

He likened it to wanting something better than a fast-food outlet.

"If a fast-food joint was coming into the Super Saver parking lot, and I said, 'Hey, can't we get a Chili's?' who am I discriminating against?" he said.

LULAC is so petty. Don't you bag your own gorceries at Carnival? I'm sure the older ladies of Farmers Branch would prefer not to do that. Minyard's has sack boys that will load them in the car for you. Not at Carnival.

I can see the benefits of choosing Minyard's over Carnival. LULAC can't because they need to make everything about race so they seem important. Take Latin out of LULAC and they become LUAC the League of United American Citizens and that's not what they are about.

Dixie

I can understand where they are coming from, put in an upscale store, box boys are good, and it looks like you take pride in you town.

In our town we have had 3 Mexican restraunts for some years now, great food my family loves to eat at them, the Building are brick, dark green and have alot of class, well one has some orange on it but is in a nice little mall, and done with some class.
A couple months ago a new one opened up on a main street right off the highway and it is the brightest orange building I have ever seen, does not fit in this town at all, Why would our city council let a business paint a building that color, I don't know but I have been meaning to ask.
It is our town and we happen to like the looks of it, and I think the taxpayers who built the town should have something to say about how it remains.
If you want your town to look like Mexico move there, come to our town and accept our town for what it is and try to fit in. DON'T COME AND CHANGE THE WAY I LIVE and the things that make me comfortable with my life. Majority rules!! I predict this orange restraunt will go broke!!

United Latin American Citizens.

SO, they're not American Citizens?

OK, well.........are they Latin Americans who are ILLEGAL ALiENS?

Or, are the Latin Americans who are legal residents who have NO intention of assimilating into American society?

Who are the "United Latin American Citizens" AND DO THEY VOTE in American elections?????

Originally Posted by 2ndamendsis

United Latin American Citizens.

SO, they're not American Citizens?

[quote:3l642qm9]OK, well.........are they Latin Americans who are ILLEGAL ALiENS?

Or, are the Latin Americans who are legal residents who have NO intention of assimilating into American society?

I predict both!!

Who are the "United Latin American Citizens" AND DO THEY VOTE in American elections?????

[/quote:3l642qm9]
Yes I'll bet they vote in American elections, but they are only UNITED WITH LATIN AMERICANS CITIZENS, and here lies the problem.