PA Lawmakers Discuss Future Of Philly Stop-And-Go Stores
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The future of stop-and-go alcohol stores in Philadelphia is the topic of discussion between local law makers and people in the communities they serve.
Stop-and-go's are usually corner stores or gas stations that have liquor or restaurant licenses.
"But you don't really see a restaurant, you don't really see a bar, you don't see food. You don't see patrons engaging in just having dinner and maybe having a beer with their family," said Pennsylvania State Representative Donna Bullock.
She says, an overwhelming majority of the time, stop-and-go's are found in fiscally poor neighborhoods and they attract shady activity.
On Thursday she and a group of other lawmakers held a public meeting to see how officials can crack down on stop-and-go's that are harmful to the communities they serve.
Stephanie Ridgeway, who co-owns a barbershop on 22nd and Ridge, says the city needs to do a better job regulating these stores that often times turn into nuisances.
"What bothers me is that our communities are not being looked at as vital, because you allow these entities to come in, in huge numbers, that means that my business isn't looked at as valuable, my quality of life isn't looked at as important," said Ridgeway.
She says these stores do not hold the best interest of the communities they are in.
"It affects the neighborhood when you have businesses that aren't really interested in the neighborhood, but in taking profits they earn and going back to their neighborhoods," Ridgeway said.
Representative Bullock says they are going to take information they've received from the communities, and look at legislation to improve current liquor laws.
