My Day: New Grocery Store Grand Opening
City Councilman Tennell Adkins
In America the opening of a grocery store is normally opened without the fanfare, bands, platforms for dignitaries, balloons, and cheerleaders. But the new spacious (15,000 square feet), state-of-the art, energy efficient, Save-a-Lot Grocery Store in Highland Hills, (corner of Simpson-Stuart and Bonnieview Road), has had a waiting ‘congregation’ for more than twelve(12)years. And these communities have been celebrating since the announcement and now with the “really, big grand opening” this week, the anticipation is joyous and over whelming. The grand opening will feature a ‘free’ bag of groceries to the first 200 customers. If you have more than $50.00 worth of groceries, the store will provide transportation. And many more annuities tailored to this community.
I have attended several of the neighborhood meetings held at the Highland Hills Library. The neighborhood leadership is high energy, active and effective. The attendance is high. The participation
is like a partnership -in -action. These communities anchored by Paul Quinn College, the new DART Line, legendary churches, a new growth pattern from the UNT, encompasses now more than 30,000 citizens. So why has it taken so many years to attract a grocery store chain?
The new Save-A-Lot is championed by Joseph Kemp, Owner/Visionary, in concert with former City Councilman Tennell Adkins, who stayed the course fulfilling his promise and love ‘for a better city’. Talking to Mr. Kemp is a history lesson. I asked him one of my usual questions in an interview and he described himself as a ‘fix-it-man’. A product of Dallas, Booker T. Washington School and the African American Hall Street legacy, the first love of his ‘fix-it’ career was with go-carts and engines. From there to housing. . . and the rest of the storyline is a great script for a documentary.
Important to this community is that a major percentage of the employees come from the area. The store will employ 25-to-30 ready workers with to date seven(7)from Paul Quinn College, which is within walking distance to the store. Our transit system have us connected to the rest of the metroplex.
To the community, our responsibility is to support the store, buy groceries, buy something and make this store the one highest in revenue. Share positively on Facebook, all social media.
Congratulations to the Highland Hill family!
Ester Davis, Community Host, can be reached @www.esterday.com or 214.376.9000.
