Activists with a group calling itself Occupy St. Johns and the owner of St. Johns Deli say they’ve collected more than 1,600 signatures from people who oppose a new 7-Eleven slated for the 8100 block of North Lombard.
The 3,000-square-foot store would join two others in the area. One is as close as nine blocks away.
According to NeighborhoodNotes.org, the store received wide-scale criticism at a Dec. 14 meeting of the St. Johns Neighborhood Association.
Occupy St. Johns activist Lataya Dailey confirmed that the group had more than 1,600 signatures on a petition and that it would be delivered to city planners later this week. She also stated that an “action day” would be announced as early as tomorrow.
The petition was handed over to Kevin Lee, the owner of St. Johns Deli.
Lee’s store is at 7920 N. Lombard St., just down the street from the proposed 7-Eleven. Lee, originally from South Korea, has owned the business for the last five years. He said he employs eight people, and that his store sells beer and wine, but not fortified wines or malt liquor.
“They already have three stores within two miles,” Lee said. “I think they are trying to kill local business.”
Lee said he met Dailey approximately two weeks ago when she came into his store. Lee attended the Dec. 14 neighborhood association meeting and said he felt the neighbors were very supportive of his business.
“They are 100 percent behind me,” Lee said. “They don’t like the idea of another 7-Eleven. But I’m not sure it will work. They are a very powerful company.”
The 7-Eleven is being built by MAJ Development. The company has chosen a development option that does not require public input as long as the conditions of the zoning are met.