Hi Rose, Florida ave over by Busch Blvd is very different from where this article is talking about. The current proposed location for this Family Dollar is in a thriving independent business district, that already has an award winning restaurant, clothing stores, an independent soap company, design studio, art gallery, furniture store, antique shops, cafes, bakery, pizza parlor, record shop and much more. In fact the proposed Family Dollar store will displace multiple independent businesses currently already in the location that they plan on developing, costing the area many good jobs.

Ms. Davis,
"Local businesses, keeping the money local is what is good for the neighborhood, not national/regional box-chains. Our neighborhood has thrived lately on growth via these independent local businesses - the store owners are our neighbors; they make the area feel like a small town." You grocery shop at Mega Supermarket then! Good for you.

Mr. Carter, would you mind educating us all on what you hope to accomplish by responding to each and every comment on here you don't agree with in a pathetically immature manner? It appears that you have made it a full time job just insulting others. You have your opinion on this, we all know your opinion and I for one respect that opinion - we are all entitled to our own opinions. I sit on the City of Tampa ARC, and I am familiar with what is part of the historic district and what is not. I am familiar with the current zoning, and the fact that we likely do not have any defense to keep FD out of our neighborhood. I still have my opinion, I still have a right to feel unhappy that this is happening. Many share my opinion; many don't - it's all good, we respect each other as neighbors. Except for you that is. Do you really think you are changing anyones mind? Does your ego need that much stroking? Do you feel that you must make childish comments to those of us who do not share your view?
You teach kids? Perhaps there is a correlation between the poor state of our schools and your horrible, demeaning attitude. You're not fooling anyone Doug. You are an immature, insecure attention hog. Pat Benjamin is right, this has become the Doug Carter show - let it go Doug, get over it - we all know how you feel. All you have really done here is troll comments and insult those who have a different opinion. Does that make your ego feel better? Why are you so angry? Deep breath!

Mega Supermarket is the only independent grocery in Seminole Heights. Therefore as you and many others are supporters of independent businesses and not chains, I assume that you shop there. How is that immature? I am pointing out hypocrisy. Granted, sarcastically but that's me.

My neighbor, Pat, is correct. I am like a dog with a bone. I, like others, am trying to do what is best for my neighborhood.
Truth be told? It sticks in my craw when people don't directly respond to fair questions like Trader Joe's and Mega Supermarket. Clearly, they aren't going to and that is telling. I need to let it go.
I honestly am finished. I, Stephanie Roberts and a few others, like a gentleman named Maurice Rosas, have done what we could to change perspectives on how No Family Dollar makes the neighborhood appear.
All the best from the Most Hated Man in Seminole Heights.

When I moved into Seminole Heights 12 years ago, we had the options of fast food, Nickos Diner, and Three Coins Diner for dinner. For nightspots there was the Corn-R-Club, the Liars club, and a bar that made the Corn-R-Club look swank. Generally, when we wanted variety, we left Seminole Heights and spent our cash in Ybor, South Tampa, and Temple Terrace; there just wasn't anywhere else to shop.

It's only been 5 years since all of these shops started moving in. All of them are what you describe as being "hip" in your comment and most of them are aiming for the same set of "hip" customers. As a result, we now spend far more money and leisure time in Seminole Heights. We can walk to the Mermaid rather than drive down to Ybor or South Tampa. We can walk to Ellas. We get our dog toys from Health Mutt instead of Petsmart.

When you hear people react emotionally to the idea of Family Dollar coming into the neighborhood, your are hearing their angst and frustration over what could potentially put the breaks on and even reverse this much-desired commercial revitalization. Their motives aren't control and they aren't interested in preventing people from drinking bad beer (heck, many of them drink Pabst Blue Ribbon for gods-sake!) They seem to believe very strongly that new "hip" businesses will now avoid the area and the revitalization will end.

How might we convince them otherwise? What if they're right?

Let's look at other businesses in the area. We have several gas stations selling chemically dubious pseudo drugs and little 1/2 inch square zip lock bags (those are not for tiny sandwiches). We have sketchy pain clinics /pharmacies that manage to stay in business even though they are across the street from major legitimate pharmacies who's supply chain and selection of convenience products should ensure their market supremacy. We have a mechanic's shop which is an eyesore of rusting junk cars. Heck even a few of those darling newer businesses could use a coat of paint and a little sprucing up. Until I see yard signs protesting these places I'll just assume that the anti-Family Dollar campaign is a thinly veiled attempt at furthering the economic gentrification of Seminole Heights.

Also there is the issue of antipopulism. It's oh so hip to hate what everyone else likes. There's a reason Family Dollar want's to open a store here- their market research indicated a demand. The hip, new businesses are great but they do not serve the majority of Seminole Heights residents. The folks next door don't buy records, the old lady across the street gets her dog biscuits at Sav-a-Lot, and the kids down the block don't like fancy beer or retro gear. Every one uses the items that FD offers. Can't we all just get along?
If I owned the property I'd cancel the deal with Family Dollar and lease the place to Joe Redner really cheap just to give folks something to really cry about.

Mr Stephens, In spite of the fact that you ignored my honest question (what might we do to convince people that Family Dollar won't kill revitalization), I'll answer your question: Can't we all just get along?

Yes, in general, I think we can! Even with big box stores and corporate stores and all that stuff.

What it takes to get along is respect for each other and a willingness to compromise. That would be respect and compromise from residents and business of Seminole Heights to big box stores and respect for the uniqueness of Seminole Heights by big box stores. Publix is a great example of what is possible--they are a good commercial neighbor in Seminole Heights.

So the variable here is can Family Dollar be a good commercial neighbor in Seminole Heights? As they have two stores in the area right now, both on Nebraska, and three additional stores just across our boundaries (22nd street, 2525 Hillsborough, and Rome at Hillsborough), we can gauge their intent and follow-through on being a good commercial neighbor. What I care about most, when it comes to a big box store, is the external appearance of the building, cleanliness, maintenance, and efforts taken to minimize negative impacts on nearby residents (parking, litter, noise, cut-through traffic, etc). This here provides a framework to within which we can evaluate Family Dollar outside of any "isms" and concerns about their customers.

So given that framework, how does Family Dollar measure up compared to stores like Publix, Save-A-Lot, or Hurrican? (All three similar retail to FD)

On the exterior, all three of those are fairly clean. They make an effort to keep up with the trash strewn by thoughtless customers. The buildings are fairly well maintained. I haven't shopped at Hurrican in a couple months, but I don't recall anything standing out as particularly offensive.

Compare that to the Family Dollars around the area. The one near my home on Nebraska has portions of the stucco falling off and has been that way for at least a month without repair. The lot is covered in trash and the landscaping not maintained by the City is in terrible shape. The new building on Waters is a big metal barn--no consideration was takien for the aesthetics in that area. The neighborhood association worked with Family Dollar on the N. Nebraska store, as has been suggested as a solution to this, and the result is disappointing.

Family Dollar has a history of never reaching above the lowest common denominator in the neighborhoods they enter. They build temporary structures with the cheapest materials and then fail to maintain even that. In an area finally seeing some commercial revitalization, this isn't going to be a positive addition. They do not have a history of being good commercial neighbors.

Sorry- I didn't know you wanted an answer to that question. I guess my reply would be to ask why should this revitalization of the business coridore matter to the residents of the neighborhood any way? I've lived in Seminole Heights for most of the last twenty years. Before that I lived in Ybor back when the Castle was the Labor Temple, Centro Ybor was a nice courtyard flanked by local businesses, and you could walk down 7th Ave. on a saturday night and actually enjoy yourself. Then the hip local business owners started organizing to revitalize the neighborhood. They promoted a hip image for the area and encouraged like minded individuals to open other cool businesses.
Then it all blew up.

Those wonderful 'neighbors' in the business world made tons of money. Many of them sold out and left town. City council set up a coin operated vending machine for liquor licences and soon their revitalized neighborhood became party town. The only grocery store in town had a very convenient fire and the owners made a mint selling the place for a new parking lot. Then you had to catch a bus or cab to the Kash n Karry down near 56th. The massive crowds brought the predators and the scavengers and we went from being safe with two beat cops who knew everyone by name to tons of police who didn't respect the locals and rising crime. Meanwhile the hip new image and popularity made the rents soar and the people who lived there and made the place cool to begin with all moved on. Look at what Ybor is now.
Revitalization? Revitalization killed my f**king home. Don't try to sell me that load of BS.
The new businesses are fine and I hope they succeed, but I won't stand by and watch them do it here. It starts small with good ideas but then it gets subverted by certain people into some kind It wouldn't be that extreme here of course, but I've been there- the business owners will get rich and the real estate investors will get rich and the landlords will get rich but the people, the neighbors, will get screwed.
Given the choice between a revitalization and box stores I say bring em all.

Hey Doug! I haven't seen you since the restaurant closed. Hit me at red.squid(at)hotmail(dot)com (no FB page)

Why to do people call it "free speech" when it's an opinion they agree with and claim it violates some right when it's an opinion they disagree with?

Picketing, signs, meetings, and emotional blog posts are all speech and nothing but speech. The only thing speech is good for is changing (or solidifying) opinions.

I've enjoyed reading all your posts. Thanks.