Breaking: 7-Eleven and Dunkin’ Donuts May Sign Leases on Grand Street

We just received an alarming email from one reader saying that both 7-Eleven and Dunkin’ Donuts are just a few days away from inking leases at two Seward Park retail spaces on Grand Street. The paperwork is reportedly being drafted as we speak.

Word on the street is that the former Roots & Vines cafe, which shuttered in March, will become a 7-Eleven, and the current Grand Spa location will become Dunkin’.  This is terrible news for the neighborhood.  So much so, that the community is quickly mobilizing to help stop the big-box invasion from spreading through Seward. There’s already an online petition in play. Here’s the text from the appeal:

In just a few days, Seward Park Coop is slated to sign leases for 7 Eleven and Dunkin Donuts to open their stores in the Grand Spa and previous Roots and Vines location.

We have 2-3 days to stop this!!

We the undersigned shareholders of Seward Park Cooperative and other neighborhood residents have formed this petition to address our opposition to Dunkin Donuts and 7-Eleven chain stores being brought to the Seward Park commercial spaces, as managed by Charles H. Greenthal & Co.

We oppose commercial saturation in our retail strip and believe we should limit the distance of retail establishments that offer the same type of goods to at least 1,000 feet of each other.We are concerned about the potential crime and noise pollution that a 24 hour businesses might attract to the residential nature of Grand Street.We are concerned that with the expanding population of young children in the immediate area and the problem of childhood obesity on the rise, the inexpensive, junk food options sold by these establishments will have a harmful impact on our children’s health and well-being.

We strongly prefer establishments that offer more healthy, natural and organic food options.We are concerned that corporately-owned chain stores in the Seward Park retail strip is inconsistent with the independent retail establishments that populate our properties.We are concerned that chain stores will have a chilling effect on property values as the establishments degrade the character and appeal of the neighborhood for both longtime and new residents.

We demand that the Seward Park Board of Directors put the decision to bring these types of establishments to our neighborhood to a shareholder vote and give Grand Street residents a chance to air their concerns about businesses that will greatly alter and impact the entire neighborhood.

Please sign this petition along with your full name and apartment number ASAP.  Leases are going to be signed by Friday; so we must act fast and present this to the board within 24 hours.

This section of Grand Street is already losing a battle – there’s a Papa John’s and Subway just a couple blocks away. And Doughnut Plant probably won’t be too happy either…