Those growing up in heart of the city had to have met Phil Holmes at least once in your life. Holmes was the owner of Phil's Market. I first met Holmes after visiting his store on Lafayette street before his store moved to Anthony and Pontiac. I had purchased some yogurt that I was not happy about its' taste.
I figured it had gone bad, and blamed on a product being on the shelf too long in a neighborhood store. After, several attempts at returning the bad product, I asked to see the owner, to inform him he had bad products on the shelf. After I told him that the product was bad and that it tasted like spoiled milk, the owner laughed.
I wasn't too happy and after he shared my dilemna with a couple of workers in the store, I was told that's how it was suppose to taste. Embarrassed, but reassured that Phil's wasn't selling the neighborhood bad products. Still it would be years before I purchased anything from the store. But Phil was a permanent fixture in the lives of many folks from the neighborhood.
I later met up again with Phil in trying to register voters. I was prompted into registering voters, when I overheard an elected official state that everyone that lived in the neighborhood was on "crack". Everyone, that's pretty broad.
I asked Phil, since it appeared that's what everyone called him, for permission to stand or sit in front of his store to register voters. Every time I asked Phil never denied me.
Years, later, I learned that Phil was a former police officer and an independent. Phil didn't live in the city, either. It was sad to hear that his life ended with a bullet to his head, self inflicted. Phil helped a lot of folks and of course he got it back from the people.
I later walked the streets in the area of the old store and it was obvious that a land grab was going on. And I suppose, perhaps, even a development gone wrong. So today, I picked up a newspaper, Ink, and the title caught my attention: What's going to happen to Phil's Market? Phil's Market is an old historical building. But the article stated that it was going to be demolished. That should not be too much of a surprise, anything that gets in the way of progress that is located in a predominately African-American community will be destroyed.
Something, in my heart of heart believes the Pontiac/Anthony corner was destroyed the moment that Phil's heart stopped beating in the basement of that store. The article goes on to state that the landmark will be coming down.
With Wal-Mart moving in down the street, there is no need to build. This is a city that strongly believe in non-competition when it comes to determining where and how African-Americans and now Latinos will spend their money.
The articles goes on to mention that: "The CORE Group has enlisted the service of NAI Harding Dahm to broker the Pontiac and Anthony properties". Traveling through the area you can not but wonder when will all this vacant land become a Kelo land grab? For those who remains and who will be impacted, can always move into the South Anthony Pointe coming soon to a neighborhood near you. You think?
June 14 update
Another thought on the Pontiac and Anthony Properties coming down. I don't think it has to do with the public safety in the city's demolition. There are many unsafe buildings in the areas. Remember South Town Mall?
How can one forget the Mall? Remember, the city along with investors allowed the Mall to decline in value. The city sold the property to some private investors. Remember. Now think about it. If the Pontiac and Anthony buildings are torn down, that is less taxes the investors have to pay on the property. But, if friends of the city or the county are wanting to buy only land in the areas, with the estimated millions of dollars buildings gone the land can be bought cheaper and no environmental issues with the city demolition of the building.
What in the world could be planned for the area?
South Town Mall South Town Mall
