Daily News Item: 1,000 rally to save Port's White Hen
Wars sometimes start in the most interesting places. With all batteries aimed toward the waterfront, who would have imagined the the first battle of the (latest) war over Newburyport's downtown would take place on Pond Street?
I'm speaking, of course, over New England Development's intention to force out the White Hen Pantry from its current location and allow CVS to take over the entire building.
One might see this as a fight between two corporate chains, but the ownership issues are really pointless. (For the record, I think the White Hen Pantry is locally owned, but it carries no local brand. This isn't Angie's.)
The true pertinent fact is this. The White Hen Pantry serves an important role in this community, and has for some time. It kept me alive during my time at the Daily News as it usually was the only place you could find coffee and a sandwich after a Newbury Town Meeting.
But even today, when I'm blessed with a more regular schedule, the White Hen Pantry is what it is supposed to be a convenient store where I can typically buy what I need when I need it.
I shop at the CVS as well as do thousands of others everyday. It's a fine store just the way it is.
Ann Lagasse, in today's article in the Daily News, suggest Newburyport Development simply is trying to keep its anchor tenant happy. I get that. But I have hard time understanding how CVS isn't happy with the current arrangement, especially since it's taking over the rear of the store. Is CVS really going to leave this coveted spot if it doesn't get the tiny corner that White Hen Pantry currently possesses? I doubt it.
Newburyport and New England Development might want to focus on keeping their customers happy as well. If this is a sign of things to come--larger companies shoving out smaller ones at will--the fight over the downtown may be more brutal than I thought.
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7 comments:
Tom,
I never figured you for one of those people with an affectation for chowing wrinkled hot dogs which have sat all day under glass on a warming pad...not that there's anything wrong with that.
Oscar Meyer
Actually the sandwiches were always quite tasty.
They have great soup, yogurt & fresh fruit as well!
Maybe the public outcry is partially from a desire for "neighborhood" - the notion of a "third place" that isn't work and isn't home. Kind of why coffee shops, taverns,even the library are so popular. People need local walk-to places to feel like they have a home ground. Walkable groceries, small shops, and meeting places are not just green in the 2009 sense but pretty basic to the health of the social species called human.
Ron M
Who's the councilor for that ward? Can they do something?
My guess is CVS would like to expand it's food offerings and capture some of the market the White Hen now serves.
You're correct this is a preview of things to come.
The community's needs/desires are not a priority. It's all about business relationships and making the most per square foot.
Personally, I'd love to see the White Hen, or a store like it, move into the downtown area. Maybe that will happen once they are forced out. I hope this has a happy ending, but it sounds like it's completely up to Newburyport Development. If they own the strip mall, they can choose who to rent the space to.
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