January 14, 2011 by suburbanacres

ForKids Proposes Thrift Store in Wards Corner

The ForKids organization gave a presentation to the Suburban Acres Civic League at the January meeting, outlining their plan to open a Thrift Store in the old Sports Zone in Wards Corner Shopping Center.

!! This topic is receiving mixed reviews among the Wards Corner community — YOUR awareness and feedback are essential !!

The Yays and Nays:

Most everyone, if not all, are supportive of the charity work that is done through ForKids. Some support the addition of the thrift because it will be business in an otherwise empty store in a shopping center that is desperate for business. The organization promises an upscale thrift store.

The largest opposition has been based on the required rezoning of the property, and the lasting impact it can make on Wards Corner. The expressed concern has been that once the property is zoned to allow a thrift store, a zoning precedent is set that may lead to more thrift stores in Wards Corner– which is thought to be an impediment to the WC revitalization efforts and the ability to attract the desired quality of merchants.

The information below is provided for your education on the topic:

Click here to view the ForKids presentation

Click to read an article posted on the Wardscorner Now webpage (posted Nov 2010)

Following is an excerpt of a message from Thaler McCormick (CEO of ForKids) after presenting to SACL:

“…Also, we encourage everyone to join us for tours of our facilities to become familiar with our work and our standards for implementing projects. I find that when people see firsthand what we do they are usually amazed at our attention to detail. I think this will be very comforting for anyone that might be concerned about the project. To schedule a tour or for questions about the project, please have your members call me (622-6400, ext. 101) or my Development Director Bill Young (622-6400 ext. 126).

I will express your concerns to the city regarding the possible proliferation of thrifts in Wards Corner and will work with them to find ways to ensure that, by approving this project, you are not opening the doors to becoming a neighborhood of thrifts. Hopefully that concern will not prevent this worthy project from happening. While I am clearly a die-hard ForKids advocate, I really do believe this store will be tremendously positive and bring much-needed energy to Wards Corner. It will be good for both the neighborhood and our families. Lastly, I live just a Civic League away in Winona (have for 15 years). If anything is wrong with our store, you are going to call me and I will fix it!

Thanks for considering our project,

Thaler

Thaler McCormick

Chief Executive Officer”

—————————-

Please take some time to become familiar with the proposed project, and know that you are encouraged to provide your civic league with your feedback.

** CITY PLANNING COMMISSION PUBLIC HEARING AGENDA

The Norfolk City Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on January 27, 2011 at 2:30 p.m. in the City Council Chamber, 11th Floor, City Hall Building, Civic Center, Norfolk, Virginia to consider the following applications:

FORKIDS FAMILY THRIFT BY FORKIDS, INC., for a Special Exception to operate a Used Merchandise Establishment on property located on the southeast corner of W. Little Creek Road and Granby Street, property fronts 469 feet, more or less, along the southern line of W. Little Creek Road and 313 feet, more or less, along the eastern line of Granby Street; premises numbered 7542 Granby Street, Unit 19 and 20.

The SACL will provide our City Council representative and the Planning Commission with the general consensus from Suburban Acres prior to this meeting.

At this time, a special meeting for SACL vote has not been established.

You can reply to this comment thread, or email suburbanacres@gmail.com.

Happy New Year!