Prior to our Christmas break, rumors spread that the Acme in Wayne would soon be shutting its doors. I didn’t want to believe it. Without that Acme, it would be impossible to walk into Wayne to shop for groceries.
But much to my dismay, the rumor mill had it right. When I pulled into the parking lot, not only was there a huge “30% off everything in the store” sign hanging in the window, but the parking lot was empty. As I walked into the store, I was taken aback by all of the empty shelves and produce racks that lined the aisles.
I talked to an employee and asked her what had happened. I asked why this Acme would be the one to close. According to her, a property buyer purchased that whole lot (including where Chipotle Grill and Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza are) and will be turning the entire piece of land into restaurants. There will soon be a total of six restaurants lining that sidewalk, leaving all of those ACME shoppers with even more sit-down restaurants to choose from.
The store officially closed on Feb. 11, which means anyone who shopped there, including all of the college students in the area, will now have to find somewhere else to do their grocery shopping. But what about the students who are not permitted to have cars on campus? Now all of these students who do not have cars will be forced to ask for rides from friends, as there is no longer a grocery store within reasonable walking distance.
I am very curious as to what motivated the closing of the grocery store and the building of restaurants. Our economy is currently terrible, and it is only getting worse. Closing a town’s major grocery store will affect all of the patrons who shopped there. Now many residents will be forced to find another store to go to, which could potentially cost more money in the long run.
Yes, it is nice that the town will now have more dining selections, but the reality is, Wayne was never deprived of many options in the first place.
I am not so sure the implications this will have on the college students in the area were considered either. We are students with empty wallets. It is neither remotely financially responsible, nor necessary for us to be going out for meals all the time. Basic food items and toiletries are necessary for everyday life. High priced restaurants are not.
Although I do not see the potential benefits of these restaurants coming to fruition, I do hope my doubts are soon diminished. Too many businesses are shutting down because no one is buying. How this could possibly be a profitable investment is beyond me, but the only thing I have left to say is good luck.