Family Dollar meets opposition in southwest Atlanta
(John Spink, jspink@ajc.com)
Several hundred protesters (photos) turned out Friday to demand that Family Dollar abandon plans to build a store in the Cascade area of southwest Atlanta.
Protesters argue that the discount general merchandise chain already has several stores in the area and that it is targeting predominantly black communities for its locations. The new store is being built at Fairburn Road and Benjamin E. Mays Drive.
Protesters say the concentration of such stores lowers nearby residential property values and attracts crime. They also say the store will be near retirement complexes, a health care center, and nearby neighborhoods.
“We are not anti-business,” Audraine Jackson, an area resident and owner of Jackson Communication, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution during the protest Friday near the construction site for the new store. “The issue here is the aggressive marketing tactics of Family Dollar that disproportionately targets the African-American community. For us to have four stores in this ZIP code alone is totally unacceptable.”
Family Dollar, however, defends opening the new location and vows to “work diligently” to make the store “a positive addition” to the community, spokesman Bryn Winburn said in a statement.
“Family Dollar is proud to be a neighborhood store and we continuously strive to be a positive part of the neighborhoods we serve. We look forward to working with this community to create a store we can all be proud of,” Byrn said. The spokesperson also noted that the chain, which plans to open up to 500 stores this fiscal year, donates thousands of dollars to nonprofits that seek to improve the quality of life of customers and employees.
Earlier this month, more than 200 residents attended an Aug. 14 community meeting at the Adamsville Recreation Center to oppose the new store.
“Somebody might argue and say, ‘Well, this is economic development,’ ” said Atlanta City Councilman Michael Bond. “This is not the type of economic development that we want.” Councilman C.T. Martin noted there were three Family Dollar stores on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.
(Commenting closed)
(Staff photographer John Spink contributed to this blog)
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
133 comments Add your comment
AltN8tivITP
August 24th, 2012
4:08 pm
Why isn’t my last post showing up?
Lord help us all
August 24th, 2012
4:09 pm
@Spring-fresh I believe that is what the article was trying to say, but it just bought out the racism in blacks and whites.
Redcoat
August 24th, 2012
4:11 pm
SW ATL…………Who controls the zoning? What business practices at the gas station do you mean?
And any job and the person working it should be respected! People get their start in life in different places and ways, don’t you know?
AltN8tivITP
August 24th, 2012
4:12 pm
Hello, AJC…why are my posts not showing up?
old school doc
August 24th, 2012
4:12 pm
Our area, is proudly mixed income. The Cascade corridor has a long history of being inhabited by African American professionals. We are solidly middle class, some even upper middle class. Our neighborhood borders even more mixed income housing.
Many of us are desperately trying to keep SW Atlanta the stable desired community it once was. Saturating our areas with cheap stores (and weave shops too) caters to a demographic that is close by, but not representative of many of the folks here.
Some might say it is snooty, but we are sick and tired of outside interests slapping up any old kind of establishment in our area and expecting us to be grateful. Did they even bother to come to the community to ensure that the building fits architecturally with the surrounding areas? No. Our neighborhood is filled with 4 -sided brick homes, large lot sizes and lots of greenery. FD clear cut the land, and has planned an UGLY white metal monstrosity, with minimal landscaping. The community did not know about this particular FD until it was a done deal.
That is why we are mad.
Baby
August 24th, 2012
4:17 pm
OK, so try to make sure a police officer sits there and tickets if there’s a concern about crime and traffic, and you’ll still be able to get Lysol cheaper than at Wally World. FD just opened in Oakhurst, and guess what? None of the doomsday predictions occurred. What a shock. (Lots of white people there too, so no, they’re not just opening in predominantly African American communities.
Mangler
August 24th, 2012
4:20 pm
All companies target their main source of income. If FD is targeting black neighborhoods, then that means they are making money in those neighborhoods. However, unlike some chains, FD exists in all types neighborhoods. Are they more predominant in some areas? Sure, due to their business model which dictates that they get built in neighborhoods vs. something you’d find in a mall or a highway off ramp or a resort town.
I’ve heard the crime argument before, but it’s usually related to a specific street or community vs the actual business.
If you truly don’t want it in the neighborhood, then don’t frequent it. But I have a feeling that the store will do just fine. Just like when people get all up in arms over a walmart breaking ground but then shop there every week anyway.
As for why they aren’t building a whole foods or something more boutique instead … because the business models of those stores don’t correspond with the socioeconomics of this particular street, it’s that simple.
Redcoat
August 24th, 2012
4:20 pm
old school doc…….. Who controls the zoning? “Outsiders” don’t just come in and do what they want, someone approves this, and you might be surprised that you did, and didn’t even know it!
East Lake Ira
August 24th, 2012
4:23 pm
One opened in Oakhurst – Decatur – and it’s lovely.
Get over yourselves folks.
Truth2012
August 24th, 2012
4:26 pm
the blacks are right on this one!
RealTalk
August 24th, 2012
4:27 pm
Too Busy to Hate Gang.
josh
August 24th, 2012
4:27 pm
So Bergdorf Gooman decided not to locate in the Cascade area? I can’t figure that one out….LOL
The only reason the SW of Atlanta is full of liquor and loto outlets is that you use them. Have you folks not ever figured our supply and demand??
Truth2012
August 24th, 2012
4:28 pm
If the blacks in the area want to keep their area nice… then let them do what they gotta do! I agree that lower class businesses bring lower class people, and potentially more lower class pple moving closer by.
Christopher Seward
August 24th, 2012
4:30 pm
I have no idea why your comments aren’t showing up, AltN8tivITP. All comments are monitored, however, to make sure they stay on topic.
UNBELIEVABLE
August 24th, 2012
4:30 pm
Really?? The black community is complaining about a business opening in their neighborhood and like someone else said on here they would be complaining if a business wouldn’t open their doors their for the very reasons stated in the article. I live in north Georgia in basically a middle class
area and on my 8 mile drive home, the last 3 miles there are four Family Dollars or Dollar Generals. They’re not targeting black neighborhoods, they are targeting what market conditions indicate which
apparently is potential. Count your friggin blessings, alot of places are going out of business!!!! morons
bernlee
August 24th, 2012
4:32 pm
I cannot believe what I am reading…I am a “well off” senior living the life on a lakefront home in NC(formerly, in east cobb). My home is worth over 3/4 of a million dollars…and I shop and 2 dollar general stores in my NC zip code..as I did in Marietta! Guess that’s why I can now afford the lifestyle I am blessed enough to experience!
Rhett Butler
August 24th, 2012
4:37 pm
Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn.
Truth2012
August 24th, 2012
4:41 pm
Fellow white people, stop comparing your nice white areas like East Cobb with South / East/ West Atlanta. The chances of you being a victim of violent crime in a place like E Cobb is 1 in 10,000+, the chances of being a victim of violent crime in most of these areas is around 1 in 30. These people know what they are talking about, let them do what they know they have to to have a nice area!
Jed
August 24th, 2012
4:41 pm
I love Family Dollar, but I can see both sides of the argument. Of course, the residents have a right to protest, and I think they have a point, too.
But also, Family Dollar is a great place you can save some money.
And who cares about skin color? Racism goes both ways, but as a white person, I have to say I am really ashamed at some of these things being said on this post. Not all white people think this way.
old school doc
August 24th, 2012
4:42 pm
I understand FD wants to make money. But there are already six, with 2 more on the way, within a three mile radius of my home. It is too much. And the majority of them are UGLY, and cheaply built. Do you want a white metal monstrosity near your home?
GFY
August 24th, 2012
4:46 pm
Simple Solution…..don’t buy there wares and they wouldn’t put them in your neighborhood. Obviously somebody’s buying their goods and they are making money. They are not like the gov’t. They actually need to have a sound business model.
Redcoat
August 24th, 2012
4:49 pm
I understand and really sympathize with those wanting to keep your neighborhood in a standard you want, but somebody is not representing your interests it seems….FD is not the source, it’s probably the ones you put in office that control this!…….best check that out
GFY
August 24th, 2012
4:49 pm
If you don’t like the punks hangin’ in the parking lot then pass loitering laws from City Council and then have cops enforce them….make it a pain in the backside for the bums to hang in your area.
Bill
August 24th, 2012
4:51 pm
F.D. wouldn’t build their stores there if they didn’t already know that they will be profitable. The simplest answer is to not shop there. The sticking point is that the “community leaders” don’t trust their own neighbors, residents, constituents, etc. to not patronize F.D.
old school doc
August 24th, 2012
4:53 pm
gfy–
An issue is that because our neighborhood is affordable, many of lesser means move here and shop here. I think it is nice to offer something for everyone BUT we are getting saturated with cheap stores. A LARGE portion of our community will never grace the FD doorstep, but they are counting on, and will get, plenty of foot traffic from the other less well off adjoining areas.
FD knows they will have a full lot of buyers–whether or not my neighborhood is better off or not is obviously not their concern.
SW ATL Resident
August 24th, 2012
5:02 pm
Redcoat – I’m not sure what you think the protests are aimed at. One of the stated goals is to get the zoning changed. City councilmembers are involved in order to affect that change. What else would the point be? We know Family Dollar is very unlikely to willingly abandon their plans.
RAMZAD
August 24th, 2012
5:09 pm
Black people always picks the wrong people to terrorize. It is not Family Dollar’s fault that black politicians are such crooked wimps, who can’t set a decent development agenda that calls for people to get educated, calls for giving strategic industries seed bed, calls for a declaration of war against criminals, and getting the community to be known for something other than homicides.
Family Dollar is just a symptom of a community reality that the are all the black community can attract. You kind of get what you deserve. That is usually how America works.Do you see Roswell
or Dunwoody or Smyrna worrying about Family Dollar?
SW ATL Resident
August 24th, 2012
5:11 pm
My problems with the gas station’s business practice are myriad. 1. They don’t enforce loitering policies. 2. The workers aren’t friendly. 3. The storefront is not maintained. 4. They charge higher prices than several other stores in the neighborhood.
And I stand by my statement that Family Dollar is not the best place for a high school student to receive career training. I understand that for some, retail jobs mae ends meet and provide an adequate living. However, I don’t think it’s necessary to “teach” students these skills while they’re still in school, as if they provide the only road to employment. I think it’s better to encourage business ownership and more professional careers. It’ better to be over qualified for a job than under qualified right? If some students end up working at Famil Dollar, so be it. That’s not a bad thing. I just believe they should be exposed to better opportunities also. As a student at Mays, I was exposed to a wealth of role models and opportunities. I believe I’m a productive employee, parent and citizen in part, because of that exposure.
Ayn Rand was Right
August 24th, 2012
5:14 pm
I think that there is a very low chance that there is a $400K house any where near this FD location. Sorry, home values in Atlanta are in the toilet.
And @ Ken Cascade…part of your problem is right in your description of your children…Black Princesses, really…I am glad you think your children are beautiful, but teaching them that they are better than everyone else, does not help them to get along.
LiveandLetLive
August 24th, 2012
5:15 pm
I think the protesters are wrong about the store “targeting” blacks. The demographic that they are targeting is an income level (the type that typically shops at their stores) not the color of their skin. Money is money and that’s what all corporations are for, making money and they are not particular about who they get their money from. That said, I applaud the protesters for taking an interest and initiative in their neighborhood and what happens to it. They deserve to have input.The protest might be a bit late in the process, I don’t know, but it still is an effective way to get PEOPLE involved in their neighborhoods (pro or con). I say go for it and phooey on anyone who wants to sit at their computer and make snap judgements. Also, I’d suggest attending their NPU meetings to those that aren’t already and starting an initiative to attract the types of businesses they want in their neighborhood.
Ayn Rand was Right
August 24th, 2012
5:22 pm
@dillustionalrednecks…honey you need to take a pill…you are wound up tight!
RAMZAD
August 24th, 2012
5:24 pm
Talking about home values in Cascade is irrelevant if you have three murders per month up the street near the top Kroger and all that fried chicken garbage by the BP. Fact is that Cascade
has seen more than its share of horror murders in the last five years- even when things were
good.
You ought to be addressing the idiot mayor, Kasim Reed, about his lack of vision for improving
the Atlanta experience. That quack believes community improvement is collecting more taxes.
Family Dollar is not the problem.Ineffective black government is.
| News About The Dollar | JohnsRevelation News Blog
August 24th, 2012
7:08 pm
[...] Family Dollar meets opposition in southwest Atlanta – Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) [...]