March 18, 2007
More silliness in Farmer's Branch

Good grief.


Word that Minyard Food Stores is considering moving a Hispanic-oriented Carnival supermarket into an empty building in the center of town has further roiled a city that has been debating whether to impose local measures to curb illegal immigration.

A new divide has formed, largely along ethnic lines, over whether the new store should be a traditional market or one aimed at Hispanic customers.

"It would be great if we could get a store in there that caters to all kinds of people, not just a Korean grocery or a Hispanic grocery," said Tom Bohmier, a leader of Support Farmers Branch, a group that backs a ban on renting apartments to illegal immigrants that will go before voters this spring.


Oh, for crying out loud. It's a grocery store. Either it will meet your shopping needs in some way - price, selection, convenience, whatever - or it won't. If it does, then what do you care if it sells chicken feet and cactus along with corn flakes and Wonder bread? If it doesn't, then you keep shopping where you've always shopped, in which case you don't even need to know about what other items it sells and you're no worse off than you are today.

Elizabeth Villafranca, head of the Farmers Branch chapter of the League of United Latin American Citizens, said opposition to a Carnival by Anglo residents shows "they aren't just against illegal immigrants. They're against minorities and poor people living in their city."

A Carnival store would be ideal in a city that is 40 percent Hispanic, said Villafranca, who owns a Mexican restaurant across the street from the potential location.

[...]

"We already have an American store, a Kroger. It makes sense to add a Carnival," Villafranca said. A traditional supermarket at that location closed last spring, leaving the city of 27,000 residents with one major food store.


Maybe the problem was that the traditional supermarket that used to be there didn't do a good enough job of catering to all of the residents to stay in business. I'm just saying.

Posted by Charles Kuffner on March 18, 2007 to National news
Comments

Charles-If they can earn for the city additional sales or property tax that should be all that is their concern.

Posted by: Burt Levine on March 18, 2007 11:36 AM

Oh. My. God.

As you said, "For crying out loud, it's a grocery store!" Personally, I love diverse shopping experiences.

And, come on, if you want good Vietnamese food, you've got to find a Vietnamese grocery.

Plus, the people in Farmers Branch don't realize that this would help their economy. Have you seen the amount of business "ethnic" grocery stores get—not just from the "ethnic" group they are allegedly supposed to serve, but from people in the neighborhood.

What an idiotic thing!

Posted by: Vince Leibowitz on March 18, 2007 1:09 PM

But remember, none of this is about race! No, nothing racial going on here folks...everybody just move along!

Posted by: el_longhorn on March 18, 2007 9:47 PM

The Chron reports that Tim O'Hair, a city council member, says the city has the right to approve what kind of grocery will open at that location. Really? Aside from a zoning decision and a business license, what sort of city council approval would be needed? And denying a license because a grocery serves primarily Hispanic customers is a case I'm sure the city attorney would not be eager to defend. I really hate it when piss-ant small town officials act like such bullies.

Posted by: Dennis on March 18, 2007 10:49 PM