LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Five years after being denied licenses, a group of at least 13 Family Dollars have submitted applications to sell alcohol inside Louisville stores again.
Three of those locations fall within the district of Councilwoman Donna Purvis, D-5. Purvis voiced her concerns during a press conference Wednesday.
"[Family Dollar] targets poor areas," Purvis said. "They prey on communities that are weak."
A Family Dollar spokesperson sent this statement to WHAS11 News:
Family Dollar does not sell liquor, but some of our stores do offer name-brand beer and wine, similar to the brands found at grocery retailers, and often at better prices. We are committed to operating responsibly through comprehensive training programs and exams for our associates specific to alcohol sales. Of course, we will abide by any decision made by the Kentucky Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control.
While some see it as a means for growing business, others like Portland resident Harvies Criddle see it as a predatory practice, given most of the 13 applications are for stores in Louisville's underserved west and south ends.
"I agree that there's plenty of places you can get alcohol," Criddle said. "[Stores] get robbed enough as it is. It'd be people robbing and just stealing liquor."
WHAS11 spoke with one Family Dollar employee in Louisville's south end. She asked to remain anonymous out of fear she may lose her job but agreed with Criddle.
"It's just in this area, there's a lot of stealing," she said. "If it's not behind the desk, I don't think they should sell it at all. Because it's not, it's not gonna be good. It's really not."
The employee was unaware her store applied for a license to sell beer and alcohol.
"There's already problems in this community, where we don't need any more liquor at all," she said. "We have plenty of liquor stores. We have plenty of liquor stores on every corner of the street."
Russell community leader Jackie Floyd said her neighborhood is home to 18 liquor stores, and each is one to three blocks away from a Family Dollar.
"The West End needs stores with healthy foods. If Family Dollar wants to partner with us to work on that, we are ready to talk," she said.
Purvis said she spoke with Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg about the issue Monday.
When asked, the mayor's office did not take a stance on the issue but a spokesperson said they were encouraged by Purvis' efforts "to bring positive change to the neighborhoods in her district."
"Our focus is on creating more opportunity and improving health outcomes by adding new fresh food options and grocery stores," they said.
The locations applying for NQ4 Malt Beverage Licenses include:
- 4335 Bardstown Road
- 5107 Dixie Highway
- 790 Eastern Parkway
- 6312 Greenwood Road
- 1419 Jefferson St.
- 3201 Kristin Way
- 3022 Portland Ave.
- 5312 S. 3rd St.
- 3277 Taylor Blvd.
- 4126 Taylor Blvd.
- 701 Valley College Drive
- 3036 Wilson Ave.
- 3901 W. Market St.
Purvis said residents who want to express their concerns should send her an email at Donna.Purvis@louisvilleky.gov before Sept. 1 at noon. Purvis said residents can also send written letters to the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, as long as letters are postmarked before Sept. 1.
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