I agree with Tom, the only difference being I would be a customer of a beer and wine department.

Diane - only beer and wine will be applied for and only a very small percentage of space will be devoted to the sale.

I agree with Rachel, Ann, and Tom -- I would much rather have a successful independent grocer in the space selling wine and beer responsibly than a vacant store. I would be surprised if it turned out to be a problem. Lots of places have success with this kind of thing -- when problems occur they seem to be related to irresponsible management or lack of proper law enforcement.

From Margo on Wesley:
Ann -- Steve and I have absolutely no objection to a liquor license, and nobody else I've spoken to in the neighborhood does either. It sounds like a high class operation, and we're so thrilled that this will really happen. When we need beer or wine, I'm sure we'll try to buy it there. Generally places like this have very good brands. I dont think any of the other grocery stores in town have had a problem. Look at the Jewel on Howard and at the Dominicks.

Mosquito Spraying tonight


http://nsmad.com/AdulticidingProgram.html

North Shore Mosquito Abatement District
Adulticiding Program

Mosquito Spraying tonight if you live from Oakton to Howard and from Hartrey to Asbury. If you have questions and concerns please contact the website above.

I understand the concerns about selling to minors, trash and panhandling. But trash is a concern for any business that sells products removed from the store. Case in point: shop at the Jewel on Chicago Avenue lately? There are at least 2 panhandlers there every time I've been there.) And panhandling can happen anywhere. Case in point: I've been asked for spare change coming out of guitar lessons.

I will be the first to inform Ann about these issues so that they can be addressed early. We live just over a block east of the store and I promise you that I will keep a close watch for problems. I think that there are many neighbors who will do the same. Just look at this board...people are not shy about sharing problems and concerns which is a very positive thing.

Also, there is a city ordinance that requires certain business owners to collect trash within so many feet of the store. I assume that the market's management will observe this requirement if it applies to that business.

I trust that the market wants to be a good neighbor and won't sell to minors. Proper training in the carding process is an important first step.

I truly want the market to succeed. Every neighbor with whom I have spoken is thrilled to have a business that can be a very positive presence in the neighborhood by providing quality produce, meat, fish and other products. When I've mentioned that the store will sell beer and wine, no one has raised a concern. In fact, virtually everyone said that it will be nice to have a local market where you can pick up a nice bottle of wine for dinner without hopping in the car.

Yes, we need to watch for problems. But please, let's not assume that this business owner is ready to disrespect our neighborhood and neighbors by selling to minors, allowing trash to blow around and encouraging aggressive panhandling. We need to welcome this business for everything that it represents and work with the owner and management to address problems that may arise.

If we're too negative at this meeting, the owner may decide that the community is not as supportive as he thought. And do we want to start the relationship that way? Certainly raise the concerns but let him know that we want to work with him as a member of our community.

Did anyone else get a bunch of someone else's mail today? We received several items for people with names not even slightly resembling any of ours at addresses that are also not too similar to ours. In the past, we have sometimes gotten mail for someone with the same last name as one of the unit owners in our building or at the same number but on a different street, but today's batch had none of these connections.

As Ann said, a liquor license is a privilege. If the owners intend to be upscale, that will a necessary item to compete with Dominick's, Jewel and Whole Foods. If you want the convenience, give them a chance and not judge them guilty before the fact.

As for litter, it about time that the Health Dept. tests the fast food chains. There must be something in the food that attacks the central nervous because the customers can't walk more than a block before they lose control and start dropping stuff.

Re: Schlak 13651: "NONE OF THE NEIGHBORS WANTS TO SEE A LIQUOR DEPT. IN THIS STORE." Who appointed you to speak for the neighbors? A liquor department is not in question anyway; we are talking about beer and wine. This neighbor can live with beer and wine sales to get a decent market in this neighborhood. Please do not presume to speak for anyone but yourself.

On a totally different topic:

Maybe I missed it in the news but, if you own real estate and pay your taxes into an escrow account with your lender, Cook County government is in your pocket again.

I noticed a $2.50 charge on our mortgage statement this month with no explanation. I look at the statement every month and never saw this charge before. So I called our mortgage lender.

The answer: Cook County is charging the bank $5.00 as a "duplicate" tax bill fee. Our bank has elected to pay 1/2 of the fee so the charge to our family is $2.50 twice a year. So every year, Cook County is getting $10.00 from our family and the bank just because we have a mortgage with an escrow account and the lenders submits the money for the tax bill.

According to our bank, they don't even get a duplicate fee...they pay the real estate taxes via the internet without getting a duplicate tax bill. And, according to our bank, that's how virtually every lender handles it...electronically without getting a paper bill.

Our response: we have enough equity in our house that we don't need to pay our taxes through the bank's escrow any more. So we are requesting that the bank stop escrowing our taxes. They are sending us the form today. So that's $10.00 less that Cook County will get from us.

If you have enough equity in your house, you may want to consider whether you can eliminate your payment of taxes into escrow. If not, please let Cook County Board Chair Todd Stroger know that you've noticed this new tax on the vast majority of property owners who have mortgages.

I don't have a problem with a liquor dept. My wish would be for them not to sell those individual bags of chips. That's about 80% of the trash that's dropped on my lawn. I hope that they are aware of the kids from Chute and Oakton who may visit them after school. I think the Osco had a policy of limiting the # of students in at a time. But if they don't carry the quick snack foods that pre-teens crave, maybe they won't have the same problem.

Not that I hope that students don't go in the store; maybe they'll choose healthy snacks. Maybe a display of fruit up front by the registers? I plan on having my Chute student buy a few groceries on the way home from school, when needed.

Alex - that is exactly what I was thinking.

/m13651 Phil did write to me later today and thanked me for clarifying some issues.

Speaking of the county - let's join the bandwagon to repeal the new county sales tax: Ask Larry Suffredin to move to repeal the new tax which he voted for and request that he share your request with all the other commissioners and President Stroger.


lsuffredin@cookcountygov.com

Ann, our family does not drink, and we have no problem with wine and beer sales practically next door, just as there would be if the market were a Trader Joes. Didn't the Asbury Street Market sell beer?

Goodness sake, my street is thrilled with the coming market and we can't imagine that the litter will be any more or less than what the people drop on the way out of the gas station.

I plan to be there on Wednesday, and my only concern is if the owner plans to upgrade the landscaping, perhaps some more walking space can be designed for the sidewalk on Asbury that's so narrow for the large number of students who must walk there, especially in the winter. We might also ask the owner about his plans for sidewalk snow removal in the winter because that's so important during the school year.

I look forward to shopping at the new store, in the summer after work I might try for example some of the special cheeses with some nice fresh bread a little fruit and a glass of crisp white wine, maybe a steak salad and some broiled asparagus.It will be fun to see how the store will inspire me to shop.Thanks again to all who worked so hard to make this happen in our neighborhood.