BEFORE:
AFTER:
Thursday, January 01, 2015
Sullivan's Hardware Cleans Up Its Act
It looks like Sullivan's Hardware found of way of cleaning up its act and complying with city zoning laws after all of the gnashing of teeth in response to the Board of Zoning Appeals voting down its third variance request for its North Pennsylvania store in Midtown.
BEFORE:
AFTER:
BEFORE:
AFTER:
The before photo was obviously taken during a warm, seasonal time period showing items that are hot sellers-potted plants,mulch and such. Sullivan's made the case that they need their outdoor areas(parking lot)to adequately display and stock that inventory-from which they make the bulk of their profits-due to the insular nature of their land parcel.
ReplyDeleteThe after picture might well be a current one that shows Sullivan's to be compliant with the dictates of the BZA decision. Today, demand for large bags of sidewalk salt, shovels, and snow blowers is low. When weather changes and demand is high, Sullivan's won't have the inventory on hand to meet immediate customer needs. But Lowe's will. And the city will ultimately lose the benefit of a home grown business that cares about, and is invested in the community. Something all but about two pr three people understand and appreciate. The majority of surrounding neighborhood residents made clear to the BZA that the enjoyment of Sullivan's offerings, and their neighborhood presence, far outweighs Sullivan's meeting a set criteria of parking spaces.The dearth of parking slots plagues all such independently owned business ventures in the area. The attractiveness and charm of locally owned businesses- their draw as gathering places for residents, help create a sense of community. The benefit of Sullivans with less than required parking spaces versus the loss of their presence is something the majority of individuals understands.