Monday, April 27, 2009
Don’t blame the storekeeper
EDITOR:
I’ve lived in the Youngstown area for almost all of my life. Last week I read about a shooting on the east side near F&N Market. Comments made by the Police Chief implied that it was the store’s fault and that he wanted to close the store. The chief may have made these remarks out of frustration with the number of murders this year, however it is not the store’s fault. No one is to blame except for those that go around shooting people.
What really troubles me is that this is not the first time that someone in the community has called for the closure of one or more of these stores. In fact I’ve heard some say all of these stores should be closed.
I know a lot of the people that own these small stores. They are hard working good people who pay taxes to the schools and the city. These stores are also convenient for those in the neighborhood. I can guarantee that their prices are lower than comparable stores in the suburbs. Many of them hire people from the neighborhood. I think that before those in the community call for the closing of these stores they need to access the economic impact it would have on the city and school system.
EDWARD ALLEMAN
New Castle, Pa.