Liquor Store’s Plan to Rebuild Opposed

SOUTH-CENTRAL —  Residents who live near a liquor store destroyed during the spring riots say they will oppose its reconstruction at a Jan. 4 public hearing at City Hall.

The effort to fight the reopening of Bloom’s Liquor at 3905 S. Normandie Ave. is being organized by the Brighton Avenue Neighborhood Watch and has been endorsed by the Community Coalition for Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment. Residents said that loitering near the store has encouraged drug dealing, muggings, car theft, prostitution, public urination and frequent gunfire.

“Since the liquor store was burned down, the community has been getting better,” said the Rev. Charles Fields of the True Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church and chairman of the Neighborhood Watch group. “Crime is there. But it’s not as bad.”

Marvin Alberstone, the property owner who is listed as the applicant seeking to rebuild the liquor outlet, could not be reached for comment.

However, David Paek, who has owned and operated Bloom’s Liquor with his parents since 1990, said liquor stores should not be blamed for crime in the area. He said in addition to selling alcohol, the store also provided a variety of services including check cashing and often sold groceries on credit.

“I can understand their point of view that liquor stores create loitering and crime, but you can’t blame everything on Koreans and liquor store owners. Those problems were there for a long time,” Paek said. “I’m sure there are bad merchants out there. But not all of them are racist and simply there to take money out of the community.

“We’ve invested too much money and time to just leave,” Paek said.

However, area residents maintain that the permanent closure of Bloom’s Liquor will help them rebuild their community.

“We just want to make our neighborhood a better place to live,” said Justine Clardy, who has lived near Bloom’s for 25 years. “We just want our streets clean and our lawns cut just like anyone else.”

The Jan. 4 public hearing will be at 9 a.m. in Room 516-A at City Hall, 200 N. Spring St.

Information: (213) 750-9794.