Block Club Chi: Chatham Doesn’t Need New Convenience Store’s Bulletproof Glass, Cigars And Junk Food, Alderman Says

Worlee Glover also shared the article below to our FB page regarding the new convenience store that opened in the former Church's Chicken store on 87th & King Drive. We wrote about this new business earlier this month as may community stakeholders are concerned about the new business and the image upon the Chatham and Chesterfield neighborhoods.

Chatham doesn’t need new convenience store's bulletproof glass, cigars and junk food, alderman says https://t.co/0F3AnUuQEn pic.twitter.com/EIKiWKlqhn

— Block Club Chicago (@BlockClubCHI) July 25, 2018

Located on the corner of 87th & King Drive in the heart of one of Chatham’s business corridors stands what many in the neighborhood — including Ald. Roderick Sawyer (6th) — call a “problem business.”

King Food & Deli, a convenience store at 400 E. 87th St. that replaced a long-standing Church’s Chicken, was recently identified by Sawyer and community groups as a neighborhood concern.

Earlier this month, Sawyer and leadership from Chatham-Avalon Community Council, Greater Chatham Alliance and Chesterfield Community Council held a press conference to criticize King Food & Deli’s use of bulletproof glass, the sale of unhealthy snacks and cigars that could be used for blunts.

“The food was munchies, it was Black & Milds, Backwoods, Swisher Sweets, limited deli items, limited grocery items,” the alderman said. “It was mostly snacks. Is there a place for that? Maybe so. I think for the corner of 87th & King Drive, that’s kind of disappointing to me, personally.”

Following Sawyer’s public criticism of the business, a “constructive” meeting between Chatham residents and the store’s owner happened, he said.

“I think there were other retail opportunities that we could’ve placed in that location that would’ve been more reflective of the community and that would’ve gotten community support,” Sawyer said.

Read the whole thing. This is certainly a curious case it didn't take long for this business to open and already it's a controversial business due to their product offerings. Another angle to this which is what Ald. Sawyer suggests, a "scared operator". Judging based upon usage of bullet proof glass to protect employees although to be honest that's not too uncommon!