Where's Our Grocery Store? Highland Square, Akron, Ohio

Mr. Albrecht, Where's Our Grocery Store?

In the early summer of 2006, Albrecht, Inc. signed a contract with the City of Akron, promising to build a new grocery store to replace Highland Square's existing successful Star Market, which was demolished as part of the deal. Despite the taxpayers flipping the bill for the land and giving a bargain lease rate to Albrecht, Highland Square residents are still waiting for their grocery store. If Albrecht is unable or unwilling to replace our grocery store, then it is time for the Mayor and City Council to transfer the lease to someone who will.

ALL ALBRECHT FORUMS NOW AVAILABLE ON YOUTUBE!

Albrecht's attorneys asked us repeatably NOT to record their forums. Given the number of times that they stretched the truth and contradicted themselves, we can surely understand why they would not want to have a record of the forums. Luckily the law doesn't agree with them when it comes to recording public forums. We've uploaded highlights reels and the entire videos for all four of the forums to YouTube. Take a look!

THE NEIGHBORHOOD HAS SPOKEN...

And the message at the March 24th forum was loud and clear: We want a grocery store, and we want it on the corner, triangle lot. Don't try to distract us with nonsense about our vision for the Square, because you already know it -- it was the same vision we outlined six years ago, and it starts with a grocery store.

After the meeting, many people asked "what's next?" We want to make it clear that this meeting is not the end. It is only the first of four Albrecht-sponsored meetings, and your neighborhood needs you speaking just as loudly at every one of them. The next one is on Tuesday, April 7th. In the meantime, please go to the Citizen Action Form and make it clear to the City that we are not going to let this drop. If Albrecht can't get us a grocery store, then replace them with someone who can.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE FULL VIDEO!

GROCERY NEWS: ALBRECHT TO HOLD FORUMS MARCH 24, APRIL 7, 16 and 22, 2009

Too busy to show up himself, Albrecht is sending out his attorneys to the Highland Square Library from 6PM to 8PM on March 24th, and April 7th, 16, and 22nd to get our thoughts on the grocery store. In interviews leading up to the forums, their claim is that there just isn't enough demand for a grocery store in Highland Square. We need everyone to attend these forums and send Albrecht a message of what real demand looks like.

GROCERY NEWS: HIGHLAND SQUARE RESIDENTS RALLY TO DEMAND ENFORCEMENT OF ALBRECHT'S CONTRACT

Dozens of Highland Square residents, including many seniors, rallied at the corner of Market and Portage Path to demand that Albrecht, Inc. follow through on the contract it signed with the City to bring a grocery store to Highland Square. This is just one in a series of events that will be held to raise public awareness of an issue that affects every Highland Square resident, especially the seniors. Click on the photo to see the entire gallery!

GROCERY NEWS: HIGHLAND SQUARE WELCOMES ITS NEW GROCERY... TO RITTMAN

Highland Square was the first choice for Bob Foutty of the Freshway Market to open a new grocery. After a year of delaying tactics by Albrecht, Bob finally gave up on Highland Square when he was presented with an inflated lease rate. Bob's goal for a new grocery store didn't end with Albrecht's dog and pony show... he went on to open a beautiful IGA in Rittman, Ohio, complete with a bakery, deli and plenty of jobs for the town's friendly residents. Click on the photo to see what could have been for Highland Square and be sure to go to the citizen's action form to thank Albrecht and the City of Akron for making such a great store possible... for Rittman!