Neighborhood grumbles about supermarket

Last night there was a program about the Hyde Park Co-op supermarket at the Neighborhood Club sponsored by the Hyde Park Kenwood Community Conference with many passionate voices for and against the store.
The store manager wasn’t there but there were two current board members and a former board member as well as the owner of the former Mr. G’s (what is now the 53rd Street store).

You will be able to read the minutes and summary of what occurred in the HPKCC’s reporter publication, which will also be published on-line next month.
There were all the regular and predictable responses – many, many people – even those who have lived here for years – now leave the neighborhood to do grocery shopping. Many there called for the Co-op to gracefully fold and make way for a Dominicks or Jewel.

Certainly the money losing 53rd & 47th Street spaces are a millstone.
Many believe the current management is completely incompetent. Because of the way the store is run, it’s important for members and neighborhood residents to be very vocal to the board. But it’s even questionable whether that makes a difference.

But yeah, it does come down to the University of Chicago having a big role in commerce in Hyde Park. The university does control most of the real estate and building choices. While there are some very vocal and active people here in the neighborhood, we do have a unique opportunity right now with a new president at the University starting here.
Many of you may know there are some (fun & free) inauguration activities on campus tomorrow. Perhaps more importantly, on the university's web page there is a link to send your thoughts to the new University of Chicago President Robert J. Zimmer.
Here's the url to submit your thoughts:
http://inauguration.uchicago.edu/pages/submission.shtml
Zimmer was here years ago and returns now from Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. Maybe after living in a more vibrant university neighborhood he might bring some fresh change to Hyde Park.