The New Chicago City Council Dollar Stores Proposal
Recently there has been many complaints from a variety of community members regarding the safety of Dollar stores, and other factors that have to do with dollar stores. Due to this problem many alderpersons and Chicago leaders in the city have advocated for this issue. And there has been a proposal brought up to the Chicago City Council. In regards to their goal, they have stated that it is to, “address consumers complaints about the state of some Dollar Tree and Family Dollar locations around the city.”
Under the proposal. dollar store owners would be prohibited and forbidden from opening another dollar store within one mile of where one is already operating. Meaning that there has been concerns about having too many dollar stores close to one another within one area. Local leaders have expressed these concerns. Which many revolve around the idea that too many dollar stores could drive out other businesses and harm rather than help the communities where they intend to open up in.
Alderman Matt O’Shea Speaks Up about the Dollar Store Concerns
The 19th Ward Alderman, Matt O’Shea has identified many more problems beyond sanitary conditions that stores like Dollar Tree and Family Dollar are in. He stated the following,
“The problem is more complex than maintenance concerns. Dollar stores rely heavily on bulk purchasing and centralized distribution that allow them to offer extremely low prices that undercut competitors and discourage grocers from opening.”
Another very outstanding comment that Ald. O’Shea made to his colleagues was,
“This is not a struggling business barely making ends meet in this post-pandemic world. This is a Fortune 200 company that has demonstrated absolutely no interest in being a good neighbor or being responsive to local government.”
These statements really demonstrate Ald. O’Shea’s perspective on how to many dollar stores are actually affecting communities in a negative way rather than helping them. Which is why he stands firm with his point and expressed all of these issues in the Chicago City Council.
Opposing Thoughts Regarding the Chicago City Council Proposal
However, even though there are many supporters that agree with the new Chicago City Council proposal, there are also many that don’t and that think that there should actually be more dollar stores. An example about this is the Alderman David Moore from the 17th Ward. He has stated,
“Dollar stores do bring in some type of food, whatever it is, health or unhealthy. With a 1-mile ban, residents will be left with the local small grocery stores and we deal with the bad fresh fruits and all of that stuff.”
In fact, in the city there are already 150 dollar stores established and there is one more in particular that wants to open, and that Ald. O’Shea is totally opposed to. The planned location for this new Dollar Tree is at 11055 South Western Avenue, and Ald. O’Shea expressed his concern due to the conditions of another Dollar Tree at 106th Street and Pulaski, which he does mention how that dollar store is falling down apart and has a lot of trash all over the place.
Overall, there are many different opinions in terms if there should be more dollar stores or not. Regardless of the final vote of approval, the Chicago City Council committee agreed to tightly regulate new and expanding dollar stores in Chicago.
Written by Jeanette Sanchez
Sources:
Block Club Chicago: Chicago Moves To Crack Down On “Filthy” Dollar Stores
Block Club Chicago: Dollar Store Crackdown Delayed, But Fight To Hold Shops Accountable Isn’t Over
Aol.: Chicago takes aim at “unsafe” dollar stores with proposal restrict new openings
WTTW: Effort to Crack Down on New Dollar Stores in Chicago Advances
Chicago Sun-Times: City Council committee moves to rein in dollar stores
Featured Image Courtesy of Mike Mozart Flickr Page-Creative Commons License
Inset Image Courtesy of Daniel X. O’Neil Flickr Page-Creative Commons License
