NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Two and a half weeks before Christmas, store staff and an entire neighborhood no longer have their market.
The Dollar General store on Lafayette Street served families for years. On Thursday, it closed out of the blue — permanently.
People in the community told us this is a huge issue because of the limited resources in this part of Nashville.
An area is considered a food desert if a large share of low-income residents are more than one mile from the nearest supermarket. That is the case in this situation.
"Why were the people not informed?" said Amanda Key. "Why weren't the employees who were fired not taken care of? That is so disrespectful."
While Dollar General hasn't given a reason why it chose to close this location, people believe it was because of rampant theft and violence at the store.
"Not everyone in this community participated in the wrongdoing," Key said.
Yet the entire community is now affected by what she calls Dollar General's "bad decision."
According to a lengthy report obtained from Metro Police, nearly every day this year, police officers got called to the store or parking lot. There were several dozen calls for theft, and multiple robberies, hold-ups, and burglary calls. In May, a pregnant woman was carjacked by a group of teenagers.
The safety of shoppers and staff is important to the area's council member.
District 17 Council Member Terry Vo said she just wishes a solution other than closing the store was considered.
"Truly, I'm so shocked they cared more about removing the sign than the actual people," Vo said.
Members of this community often feel overlooked. The sudden closure of this store just reinforces that feeling.
"We've been dealing with a food apartheid for decades and truly now it's a resource apartheid because people can't even get basic goods," Vo said.
Dollar General leases the building from MDHA. A spokesperson for MDHA said that Dollar General moved to a month-to-month lease last year. Like the employees, MDHA said their staff was not aware that the store was planning to close.
We all know Dolly Parton as a Tennessee treasure, I believe Mr. Jimmy Wren might join her. In honoring his 101st birthday, we got to know this WWII veteran and Orlinda native. His stories are captivating, and he'll leave you in stitches. Enjoy this story from Chris Davis and photojournalist, Catherine Steward.
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