A Columbia-Centric Monday

The Pizza Hut on Route 108 near the new courthouse has been painted a pastel shade of blue. What’s up with that? If they were just going to bulldoze it they probably wouldn’t paint it first. Now I’m curious.

The Dollar Tree in the Owen Brown Village Center is closing. I go there pretty regularly although I wouldn’t say I spend a ton of money there. Of course the rumor mill is churning as to the reason for their demise. The two ideas I’ve heard are: persistent shoplifting, or, that the Giant didn’t like the competition and forced them out. I don’t know the real reason.

Businesses often like to point the finger at shoplifting and/or crime in the neighborhood but it isn’t always true. It’s a much easier excuse than taking a hard look at what they themselves did wrong that compromised their success. There are some folks who are apt to automatically believe accusations of shoplifting when the neighborhood in question isn’t majority white or doesn’t “feel” like it to them.

That’s just racist, period.

As to the suggestion that the Giant is forcing them out - - what to think of that? I do think that I’ve heard that Giant wields rather outsized power over the shops in the center. And the Dollar Tree does sell some items that the Giant sells, and at much lower prices. Could they be doing enough business to make a dent in Giant sales?

I do not know, but I do know that Giant’s prices are outrageously high, almost insultingly so. For residents that rely on that Village Center the loss of the Dollar Tree is going to be a big hit to their budgets. It makes no sense to me that one of the most expensive grocery stores in the area is in a village center where people could really use reasonably-priced food options.

A new natural food café has opened on Minstrel Way in the place where the Brazilian cafe was located. (Before that it was the beloved and much-missed Joe’s) I have not actually been there but I’ve seen signs planted around the area. I think I’ve heard talk that they will be carrying some of the more popular menu items from David’s Natural Market Café* in Wilde Lake.

Ten years ago I was pausing to make note of the news that CA President Phil Nelson would be leaving as his contract was not renewed by the CA Board. And just last Friday I received notice that CA is beginning their search for an official replacement for Lakey Boyd. They hope to have a new President in place by May. Interested in the job? Take a look.

I’d like to say something wise or witty here, but…

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*The two businesses are not affiliated.

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