P&C: Affected communities speak up

Small communities across Central New York are trying to grasp the possibility their local shopping center may not be there in the coming months.
For some small towns, the only store residents have to shop at is their local P&C.
In Skaneateles, the only shopping center available in the community is P&C, where everyone from stay-at-home moms and grandparents to summer residents and local school children purchase items to stock their pantries and lockers.
Though none of Penn Traffic’s Central New York stores have closed or been sold as of yet, residents and officials in each community are hoping there is something in P&C’s place once the corporation’s bankruptcy is final.
“I don’t like the idea because there’s no other store,” said Skaneateles resident Helen Searle about the bankruptcy.
Like Searle, resident Chris Burgess also recognizes that Skaneateles has just the one store.
“I hope we have another grocery store in its place real soon,” Burgess said.
In the same boat as Skaneateles is Cazenovia where the only local shopping center is P&C. The next closest grocery store is a Wegmans in DeWitt.
“If the store were to close it would be a blow to the community, both in the hardship to shop elsewhere and also in sales tax revenues. Let’s hope that P&C can find a buyer that will keep the store open,” said Thomas Dougherty, mayor of Cazenovia.
Much like Skaneateles and Cazenovia, Baldwinsville has just its local P&C. While Route 31 and a whole host of stores are just minutes away for some residents, P&C is centrally located for the towns of Lysander and Van Buren, which surround the village.
“It will be a very sad day in this community if P&C is to close their doors at the River Mall location,” said Lee Wilder, executive director of the Greater Baldwinsville Chamber of Commerce. “The management team there has been in place since I was a little girl and shopped with my grandmother. They are like family.”
According to Wilder, Baldwinsville has been deficient of a grocery store in the Lysander area and now if the community is to lose P&C in the VanBuren area, it will truly be devastating to the community.
“It’s not only the convenience of not having to drive up to Route 31, but our elderly developments in the area will be crippled by this,” Wilder said. “More than ever our village officials, Chamber of Commerce and economic development organizations need to focus on these concerns and concentrate more on bringing much needed business to the area.”
Despite the fact that Baldwinsville, Cazenovia and Skaneateles residents would have to go outside their communities in order to purchase groceries, other communities are also emotionally distressed because of the Penn Traffic bankruptcy news — no matter how close another store may be.
Fayetteville resident Jennifer Randall has emotional ties to P&C in Manlius.
“When I graduated from high school 30 years ago, I had my first job here,” she said. “I was a cashier, it was my first job. It’s so sad.”
Randall lives the same distance from the Manlius store as the one located at Fayetteville Towne Center, which she said she also frequents. When asked where she’ll shop now, she said Wegmans.
“What’s left?” she added. “I don’t know what I’m going to do. I’ve always shopped at P&C. It’s very sad.”
Steven Davis, also of Fayetteville, is not happy about the closing either. For one, his girlfriend is a part-time employee at the P&C at Towne Center, and two, he likes the convenience of having a small, local place to shop.
“I just want the convenience instead of going to Wegmans to get a couple things – it takes an hour to get a couple things,” he said. “I just like to walk someplace and get something, plus, I know the people.”
Davis said he’d be in favor of having a Price Chopper move into town as long as the prices were fair and the quality high.
“I shop there in addition to other places. It’s sad,” said Sharon Rachetta of North Syracuse, who shops at the North Syracuse P&C on Route 11. “I don’t even know how many employees they have but it’s very sad for the area.”
Rachetta said her father lives in Camillus and “he likes it better than Wegmans.” Now, she is wondering what her dad will do for groceries when all the locations are no
longer in business.
Other communities in Madison County are also feeling the effects of the bankruptcy announcement.
“Obviously if it goes through, it’s a huge loss, not only in the aspect of jobs and employment but convenience and availability to get groceries,” said Canastota Mayor Todd Rouse. “My belief is that Canastota is an attractive location so I suspect someone would more than likely purchase that location. I would hope a chain or owner would come in with stability for the community and employees.”
Chittenango Mayor Ron Goeler said the letter he received from Penn Traffic means the possibility of the store there closing in February 2010.
“It’s a huge effect. It’s the only grocery store in the village. The closest will be, Canastota has Aldi’s and another small grocery store, Wal-Mart in Oneida, Wegmans in DeWitt. I believe those are the closest,” Goeler said. “It will have a devastating effect, especially on those with no transportation. They’ll end up shopping at basically convenience stores or have to find rides to get to other stores. It will effect the elderly a lot and those downtown who basically choose not to have a car.”
Goeler said there are rumors all the time about possible buyers for the location, one such rumor being that the Chittenango lease had been bought. However, he had not yet been notified.
One of the most frustrating parts of having to handle the probability of the store closing are the questions from the community about what is happening.
“It’s conceivable that we’ll be without a grocery store for a while unless the person who supposedly bought the lease is ready to open a grocery store,” Goeler said. “Rumors are out there that it’s Hannafords or Price Chopper. They’re just rumors though. It’s one of those things where anyone can start a rumor.”
Aside from inquiries from residents, the mayor also had a question.
“How many times can they declare bankruptcy and come out of it? That’s one of the reasons why I looked for other people to open a grocery store in downtown,” he said. “It’s tough though to compete against big grocery stores. You have to be well established and the people would have to support it.”
Penn Traffic operates 79 stores in New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont and New Hampshire. All stores will be affected by the corporation’s bankruptcy and cease operation by Penn Traffic.

CATEGORY: General Business
TAGS: P&C, Penn Traffic, bankruptcy, Price Chopper, Hannafords
EDITION: Skaneateles Press

Permalink Archive

Talk to Us!