Contributed photo, blog post by John HoffThe blurry photo above--showing no-account thugs sitting around on a utility box--was taken last Thursday near Wally's Foods. This was the day before the shooting of an innocent passerby in the face, which has been extensively reported in the mainstream media, click here for Star Tribune article. (Star Tribune links have a tendency to go dead after a while, I don't like using them)
As the citizen who took the picture went by in her car, one of the thugs yelled, "Hey, she's taking pictures, what the (expletive)?" and pointed as the citizen's car whizzed by. The citizen was trying to document all the litter and the loitering in that spot. There were at least two dozen people hanging out, according to the creditable account of this citizen.
The citizen called 911 on all the loitering. The very next day, the shooting took place.
However, long before this...
...picture was taken, long before the shooting took place, Wally's was on the radar of neighborhood activists, one of which tediously collected 911 data and made it available far and wide; sending it to this blog, providing it to public officials, and distributing it on at least one listserv. A couple days ago, the same exact citizen took the same exact data and sent it around AGAIN in the wake of the shooting near Wally's...a classic case of "we told you so, but nobody seemed to listen."
The feeling of decent folks in the neighborhood is crystal clear: Wally's is a classic "inconvenience store," along the lines of Big Stop, Wafana's, and Uncle Bills. We've been saying for a long time something like this shooting would happen, and now something like this shooting has happened. The small block building has no redeeming features and would be better off as a grassy lot.
The editorial position of Johnny Northside blog can be summarized as follows:
Hey hey, ho ho, Wally's thug store's got to GO!
As the citizen who took the picture went by in her car, one of the thugs yelled, "Hey, she's taking pictures, what the (expletive)?" and pointed as the citizen's car whizzed by. The citizen was trying to document all the litter and the loitering in that spot. There were at least two dozen people hanging out, according to the creditable account of this citizen.
The citizen called 911 on all the loitering. The very next day, the shooting took place.
However, long before this...
...picture was taken, long before the shooting took place, Wally's was on the radar of neighborhood activists, one of which tediously collected 911 data and made it available far and wide; sending it to this blog, providing it to public officials, and distributing it on at least one listserv. A couple days ago, the same exact citizen took the same exact data and sent it around AGAIN in the wake of the shooting near Wally's...a classic case of "we told you so, but nobody seemed to listen."
The feeling of decent folks in the neighborhood is crystal clear: Wally's is a classic "inconvenience store," along the lines of Big Stop, Wafana's, and Uncle Bills. We've been saying for a long time something like this shooting would happen, and now something like this shooting has happened. The small block building has no redeeming features and would be better off as a grassy lot.
The editorial position of Johnny Northside blog can be summarized as follows:
Hey hey, ho ho, Wally's thug store's got to GO!
20 comments:
...and take Friedman's with it.
Your right John. Lets just zone out all convenience stores. We can trust the major names like Cub to remain crime free. It's stores like this that cause shootings. I can't explain why but the bullets seem drawn to them where at Cub I feel safe as can be. I'm assuming they have a business license that is renewed? If we zone out these businesses their license can just not be renewed. More fodder for the backhoe of doom yay!
There should not have to be a file of 911 and 311 calls the size of the Library of Congress for the city to take action against a property owner period. "Liberal Lakes" needs to change its criteria for problem/ nuisance properties. Now, before anyone starts talking about Constitutional rights, yadda, yadda, yadda, think for a moment if these property owners even care about your Constitutional rights. Whether or not this is due to the property owner's own apathy for your rights, or fear of reprisal from coward thugs. These problem properties have no place in our neighborhoods, and should be dealt with more swiftly than the current protocol. Unfortunately, the same Constitutional rights cover your thug neighbors too, but we all know how they feel about your rights already.
I believe the neighborhood would like to hear from our Council Member, our Chief of Police, and our Mayor, regarding this issue.
We want to hear their plan (a la Uncle Bill's).
So let's have it, please.
LEL
I totally think that when your "gut" instict is telling you something, it is for a reason. There are only a few spots in the entire city where, when I am there, my "gut" feels that this is a bad spot. This intersection is one of those. Something needs to change.
So scary! My husband and I drive thru that intersection daily and I have never seen anything. I just finished the article and I am so thankful she is going to be OK. I completely ignore the news because it is depressing but some things I feel I need to know so thanks Johnny for keep us informed!
The business owners or employees haven't been accused of any crimes. They can't control who their customers are. If the customers are criminals arrest them.
Your photo shows someone hanging out across the street from Wally's Foods. How can you expect a business owner to control what happens off his property?
The impression I get from reading the anti corner store posts is: Since you can't stop black customers from coming into the store have the city shut down any business who's clientele is mostly black.
I'd like to see Cub or McDonalds branch out into convenience stores so we'd know they'd be run right. That's what NoMi needs.
I'll be damned. My husband and I had just driven through there, and as we were unlocking our door, we heard a bunch of noise we thought were firecrackers. I joked about it possibly being a shoot-out, but holy hell, I didn't know it really was that.
"Anonymous said...
I'd like to see Cub or McDonalds branch out into convenience stores so we'd know they'd be run right. That's what NoMi needs.
June 23, 2010 6:37 PM "
That's called "Aldi" and they also own Rainbow Stores. Their stores are clean, safe, and affordable.
This is the Minneapolis Code of Ordinances 259.250(4)- "It shall be the responsibility of the licensee to provide adequate security to prevent criminal activity, loitering, lurking and disorderly conduct on the business premises, including parking areas. The owners of Wally's are responsible for what is happening on their property."
Hire some security.
Listen "Anonymous 6:25 PM" you're going to hear a "POP". This is the sound your ass is going to make when you finally pull your head out of it. This is not a black, white, or brown thing here this is dangerous criminal behavior. What this article implies by deductive reasoning and sound logic, is that Wally's is the hub for the said criminal behavior. If you can deduce otherwise please do. It would probably make everyone feel better. Until then quite race baiting. The same goes for people who confuse the word "diversity" with "criminal behavior". Unless of course you're referring to "diverse criminal behavior".
I'm happy to hold Wally's accountable for all crime occurring on their property including the parking area.
However
"The blurry photo above--showing no-account thugs sitting around on a utility box--was taken last Thursday near Wally's Foods. "
DOES NOT MEET THE STANDARD. Wally's is NOT responsible for all crime in a one block radius. Perhaps the neighborhood should patrol better as they too are responsible for crime in their area.
I at 26th and Penn and went into the gas station. It was the first time every there where no kids selling drugs in the parking lot, they were across the street hollerin as I walked in. I told the store worker how nice it was to not be acosted as I walked in and he snmiled and nodded. Then as I walked out one of the juvi drug dealer rolled over on his bike and just as he said something, the others across the street started with "De De here the come!", talking about some cops sneeking up through a vacent lot. I just laughed and kept walking. The kids pretended like the where just danceing and moved down the road. Looks like the owner of Penn Stop might be coming around.
T Jaramillo
Nope, nope. Wait until you hear the "POP". Only by then will you know for certain that your head has been fully dislodged from your ass.
@Anon947am - the same argument of the inconvenience store not being responsible for the crime/loitering around it was often raised in the similar Big Stop and Uncle Bill's fights that we have been through - and now - when I drive down 26th Ave (Big Stop) or when I drive down Plymouth Ave (Uncle Bill's)there ARE NOT no-accounts hanging around and loitering and causing problems in those areas.
What the naysayers are saying is that if Wally's didn't exist on that corner we would still see the same/current correlation between 911/311 calls and the people who utilize that intersection on a daily basis. That "POP" may be atomic take cover!
I don't doubt that removing a store that thugs visit causes them to move along. My argument is still that the store is not the cause of the crime. The property owner hasn't even the right to remove persons from off premises areas, especially public right of way or "power boxes". So if we tear down Wally's the thugs may move down the road but that does not mean that Wally's is the cause or that you have a right to infringe on the owners property rights and pursuit of happiness. If this was true it would be just as proper to round up and shoot anyone with a long white t-shirt. It would probably reduce crime but wouldn't be the right thing to do.
Wally's may not be the direct cause of the problems, nobody is saying that. At best I would consider them an enabler, but that may even be going too far. However, it is in the owner's power and interest to take a more proactive approach when confronted with issues like these because yes indeed the citizens and city do have the rights to remove it. Wally's has no more right to infringe on the public's well being than the public has. It just so happens that it's Wally's and its hang-out posse who are under the microscope and not the neighbors or commuters who are getting shot at. Your last statement is a complete red-herring and has no basis within in this premise so I'll kindly ignore that one, but be careful asking that to an ethical egoist!
I have not posted a comment which suggested a violent "final solution" for thugs.
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