We've heard from several readers who claim that an employee of the new, much-maligned 7-Eleven on Avenue A and East 11th Street was spotted removing a "Stop 7-Eleven" flyer from a storefront across the street... (the flyers are up in several businesses along Avenue A and East 11th Street and elsewhere.... courtesy of the No 7-Eleven blog.)
As you can see, someone then repurposed the flyer, which is now in the new 7-Eleven's front window...
[Image via @matteominasi]
And another photo courtesy of Anton van Dalen...
Updated 1 a.m.
Shawn Chittle notes that someone has ripped down the sign...
49 comments:
Ha ha ha! Clever. And hilarious. Stickin' it!
Lame. Was by there tonight. This place sticks out like a sore thumb. I counted a total of three people in there, looks like they're doing gangbusters alright….
Ssooo funny...Hanging the death skull in their own front window. Supreme idiots. Advertising their own bad name.
Checked out the new 7-11 on Sunday afternoon, at which time there was a small group "protesting" outside. I felt bad for the kids who work there, having to deal with this gang of adult human idiots screaming at customers, and doing other, very adult things like spitting on the windows. Not liking 7-11 doesn't give you the right to be an asshole. It's a convenience store, pick up the shattered pieces of your life and move on.
I still can't get over how sparse these stores are inside. Why would anyone go there when a bodega has 5x the goods.
The truth is that if they do not do any business, they will try to sublease or buy out of their lease. The problem will take care of itself bc bodegas are better.
its 24 hour stock management, david, they teach it in all the management schools. You keep only 24 hours worth of stock on hand. These places can be cleared out in one shift. They have no investment in the community.
What people fail to grasp is that 7-11 is in it for the long haul. Perspective shifts with time. Scores of new people come to the neighborhood every day, and for them, the 7-11 will be as natural as the McDonald's on 6th or the Starbucks on 3rd. So while I recognize the sentiment of the protesters, please don't think for one minute that one or two years of sluggish sales will vanquish this store. The guys at corporate have made a long term decision, and profitability will be realized eventually.
Sad but true.
Several people have said this already but I think it bears repeating because people are failing to grasp it: It doesn't matter if this 7-11 sells much, because the intention of the store is to function as a giant ad for 7-11. Read any recent article about 7-11's current aggressive expansion strategy and you'll see that this is not about operating as a profitable store. It's about planting its flag.
I'm with the protesters in spirit but I also feel like it doesn't really matter if anyone shops there. The damage is already done just by its mere presence.
If you really think these protest are a waste of time and there is nothing wrong with the corporate chain invasion they please please move to the suburbs and patronize your nearest strip mall.
Isn't there a franchisee involved here? How do we get that person to drop 7/11, but keep the location? How do we convince that person that the boycott would end if it was his place outright?
Yes, kfbeau, because merely questioning the effectiveness of a boycott means I should move to Long Island. By simply suggesting that these boycotts may not be purposeful, you assume that I'm pro-7-11? Reading comprehension is your friend. I am massively rolling my eyes at you right now.
Anon 11:08 AM - I am curious about your analysis of 7-11's odd foray into NYC when I have always associated the name with rural areas.
What exactly does having a flagship store (or stores) in the city gain them? Especially if their stores were mostly unpatronized, they would have a bunch of empty flagships. So my guess is that they really do intend to make money here.
Dan LD,I'm so glad you're here as a moral authority and lifestyle guide. As one of the protestors, you've set me straight. I see the error of my beliefs and my wish to hold on to some semblance of the neighborhood I've lived in and loved for the past 25 years. Thank god for you. No more protesting for me... Until next Sunday at 1 p.m., at least.
This is a corporate run store, not a franchise. If you don't like activism or protests, you moved to the wrong hood wanker.
I cannot believe that by simply questioning the effectiveness of a store boycott, I am being called a wanker. Look, you stupid hippies, bang your pots and march around in front of the store all day -- it hasn't done a goddamn thing. 7-11 is still there, they're operational, and you've done eff-all to stop them.
Believe it or not, I hate 7-11 just as much as you. I just don't see the point in having NO EFFECT WHATSOEVER, which is why I am asking questions about 7-11's presence that go beyond "Don't shop there!" and cute stickers and misspelled graffiti and hocking loogies.
Here's your bong back.
RE: 'adult human idiots'
Do your research and you will see that there's a world of 'adult human idiots' in the cities and suburbs (yes I said suburbs) that did not want and successfully kept corporate chains, 7-11 being one of them, out of their communites. If being against that type of thing makes one an 'adult human idiot' I think you maybe need to go over what's been happening in the East Village for oh I don't know....the last 50-100years. This area never took kindly to this sort of thing and there's no reason to stop now. Sorry.
Wow...what an astute observation. All people that protest are bong smoking hippies. That's deep.
You're a wanker not because you question the effectiveness of the protests, as if you somehow aware of all the groups activities, both forward facing and offline, but because of the fact you obviously know nothing about the history of the East Village and it's activism. Wanker.
I wrote the comment at 1:21 and have nothing do to with the No 7-Eleven group, why you're assuming that is beyond me. Calm down thin skin.
Hence the reasons these kids can't find jobs. Smooth move bringing your employer bad publicity.
Ripping signs off street posts is one thing, pulling them down from the windows of neighboring businesses is a new low. Even for 7-Eleven.
Stunts like this are only going to solidify the people and businesses that are anti 7-Eleven. Keep up the good work 7-Eleven!
I know plenty about the history of activism in the East Village and in society in general. I also know that the methods of protest in one era are not necessarily effective in another time. So yes, I question the purpose of boycotting a store that doesn't necessarily need to be profitable to be successful from the standpoint of its corporate parent. I question the effectiveness of anti-7-11 signs in a neighborhood where no one is planning to shop there anyway!
You can call me a wanker all you like, but the fact remains that 7-11 is already here. They're not going away even if no one ever buys a thing from them. Have you really ever seen a crowded Manhattan 7-11? 14th/2nd. 14th/6th, 23rd/Park: All are ghost towns. Ask yourself what is actually going on here. Or you know, just call me names instead simply because I don't hand out cookies over hippie nonsense.
My sincere apologies to anyone involved in the anti 7-11 campaign who may be working behind the scenes at more effective protest actions than flyers.
Wow I can't believe I'm even going to comment but I just can't help it. Get over it people. 7-11--- oh my sweet god, the end of humanity… and the east village. WTF, can't you rally around a cause that actually matters. All that passion and no where to go. Why don't you take all that pent of "community" frustration and anger and redirect it towards maybe something that would be a little more useful like…well I don't know, the fact that Tompkins Sq. Pk seriously needs to experience a junkie and homeless purge.
I count maybe 20 people at this “protest” who actually care just enough to show up on a sunday to. My guess these are the same type of people who are just waiting for the Occupy movement to pick back up. What a turnout! Embarrassing display of supposed community outrage. The mere fact that few showed up represents the difference between manufactured, perceived and actual outrage. How dare someone invest money and jobs and tax dollars into your precious living space. Go live in China if you want that kind of "community influence" and type of commerce. I have a feeling the people at 7-11 spent all of 15 seconds discussing the perceived community backlash from 20 cry babies who probably do all their shopping from Fresh Direct anyways.
If the bodegas are in "harms" way, then I suggest they either 1-continue to poorly run their business the way the always have and… perish, 2-pick a new line of work that doesn't have so much of that comepetitioney-type stuff getting in the way of their profits, 3- Adapt, and start to run a successful business the same way everyone else does around here, or 4- Move on to another market (or stay in NYC) and open their own 7-11 franchise cuz the reality is consumers will pick a 7-11 over a bodega 9 times out of 10.
If the only thing I knew how to do is run a convenience store I tell you one thing, I would want to own a 7-11 if I was looking to make money. How many new bodegas do you see opening up around here? None! Why? Because it is a model that i failing and will certainly and ultimately FAIL! Damn those CORPORATIONS. Take a look at what jeans you protesters are wearing and the designer jackets as well. My guess is that you people don't make your own clothes. Like everything else you buy, you are lining the pockets of those greedy money hungry corporations. Do the rest of us a favor with all your free time and march for a cause that has some meaning and nobility. Do you really want to be remembered as the person who helped spearhead the anti 7-11 movement during your tenure as a community occupant (i mean activist). And if you just have too much time on your hands and don't know what else to do… just please go for a nice walk upstate and take in some fresh air.
With 7-Eleven comes criminal mischief and ugly claims of racism. And it only took 5 days http://thehifibar.com/711-fights-back/
The 'ol go move to mantra. Another wanker. The Gap went away and 7-Eleven will go away. Why anyone wants to stand up for a store that sells junk food is beyond me. Speaking of people with too much time on their hands.
Steven Rogers: You obviously fail to understand the economic damage caused by the presence of a chain store installed in our neighborhood by a national corporation more interested in expanding its brand name than running a business with the intention of realizing a profit and benefiting the community in which it is located.
Who the fuck (other than a 7-11, a bank or a Starfucks) can afford a monthly rent exceeding $30,000 that this new 7-11 is paying?
They don't have to make money because for them, it's a tax write-off. Hardly a level playing field compared to neighborhood businesses who serve their community and need their sales to stay in business.
That's right! We need more 7-Elevens! How many stores did the Feds seize this summer for trafficking humans? Google it.
As some may have said, although the protests are commendable, they are futile. This evil corporation has won. Remember when people protested the St. Mark's 7-11? And look at it now, being patronized by the suburban transplants and visitors. The problem with today's EV is that there are too many suburban transplants who come and migrate here but instead of escaping the banality of their hometowns, they bring it with them and patronize suburban stores that are safe and familiar to them and cling to the known, like siete- onze.
Wonderful. Is this what we are now going to have to put up with? This is exactly why we didn't want a 7-Eleven here in the first place. How dare they do this!
7-Eleven better deal with this swiftly.
Steven Rogers has a very good point. We should focus our energy on important causes, causes that have "meaning and nobility". Causes such as the "purging" of TSP of those with dependency problems (not the rehabilitation or training, but rather "purging").
We need to formulate a solution. A solution that will end this problem. I like to call it the...Last Solution.
Shit man, I'm not necessarily on-board with the anti-7-11 folks, but you sound like a sociopath fascist asshat.
I hate the 7-11 take over of BOA too. I spent many a night / morning there (hello Ismael!) so you may close this hub down, okay but all you are doing is going to eventually do is put some poor schlub out of a job. The a bank takes over... BOA ain't coming back, the whole area/era is over. Sorry, I loved it... But to stand there and yell at people who just want a slurpee.... Well, it's dumb.
"But to stand there and yell at people who just want a slurpee"
This is BS. Sorry. I was there, none of us yelled at any of the customers.
And Steve Rodgers, is your real name Eric Cartman?
To my fellow picket soldier, why do you claim to be a part of the movement and wish to remain anonymous? Stand up for your beliefs and stamp your name to your electronic voice! If you say you were there then back it up. Otherwise you are just a troll
Maybe we should put a stop to all the pubs around the neighborhood relentlessly pulling pints and serving untold amounts of deep fried (non-vegetarian) chicken . We are most certainly not "underserved". What happens if an Applebees pops up on Avenue B looking to bleed us (and our world renowned image) dry, one "half-priced app" at a time. And with no Kale chips on the menu!!!!???!?!
Dear Mr. Rogers and Dan DL,
Please consider the depth of what 7-Eleven represents. Your points are understood, but also ill-informed. 7-Eleven pays an extraordinary rent in a building that is being poorly maintained by Westminster Management. Tenants and neighbors are struggling with noise issues, construction violations, and now a new influx of garbage (in the form of food and packaging). Westminster, Kushner, and 7-Eleven's combined message is clear: "Fuck the neighborhood!" If the store isn't here for the locals, which many insist it isn't, then for whom? Westminster, Kushner, and 7-Eleven are trying to marginalize our community and many of us refuse to let that happen. It matters that you and other naysayers read and respond to this issue -- you are compelled to have your voices heard. We are too.
People may be hesitant to sign their names to comments because when they do, they get anonymous and intimidating letters mailed to their apartments as was the case with a few members of the No 7-Eleven group this spring. Most likely from a certain local franchisee. Some of these pro 7-Eleven people are out of control as we've seen with Hi-Fi this week.
EV Activists made this 7-11 their line in the sand and judging by comments here, that may have inadvertently muddied their message, which is actually about chain stores (vs locally owned) in general. As the No 7-11 website says it's about *Resisting Chains and Corporate Control.*
It's not just "bong smoking hippies" who get concerned when national chain stores target their neighborhood. There's plenty of evidence that chains will ultimately weaken the local economy, the community character, and civic and cultural life. And chain consolidation reduces competition which in the long run hurts consumers.
Contrary to some commentors here, the rise of national chains and the decline of indy businesses isn't unstoppable and it's not the result of the free market forces. It's the result of public policy. Reduce tax incentives and other subsidies that national chains get and see what happens. Change land use rules to favor locally-owned businesses over chains and see what happens. That's what the No 7-11 people are pushing for.
Yes plant a flag. And wise folks know to plant a flag back. Make the situation on the table. Then let people decide. Paving the way for a Times Square tourism on the LES will make the hood as livable and alive culturally as the South Street Port. Which is a cultural dead zone, a museum. 7-11 is the first way to jack rents to move in this model of commerce. It is flag planting. It is Cultural Genocide. For a buisness model. Its a planned formula. Legislate against chains saturating a block. Like other cities have. Keep this city culturally alive and local. We want more Lou Reeds to come.
I was just visiting a friend out on Long Island and funny thing is, I saw very few chain stores the entire time. Did see a ton of small independent businesses however(hardware stores, nail salons, shoe repair, delis, florists, etc.). Now I'm wondering whether its a case of the whole "chain-store suburbia" thing flipping 180 degrees, or if its just that the Queens/Nassau border isn't far enough into the "real" suburbs to see the streets lined with endless chain stores.
Extremely depressing that I see more chain stores here. If I can find my canteen and freeze dried rations, I'll try to work up the nerve to explore east of the Nassau Coliseum next time and report back.
Anyone know if Kmart carries compasses??
People who despise 7-1 are one sandwich short of a picnic.
@Anon. 11:11, please learn to proofread before you start slinging insults. And if I am one sandwich short of a picnic, how about I make up for that lack by including despising you as well? That oughta cover me.
I fly 7-1 too and have a no food at my panic!
People despise 7-11 are one sandwich short of a picnic. Haha!
Thank you EVGRIEVE for the good laugh on this rainy day.
This is my last visit to this website. Dissenting (while civil) comments are not considered to be worth posting. Very UN-Free Speech like of you. Good luck in your mission Mr. EV. You may continue to Grieve On! Go up to the Catskills where you can enjoy a couple years before the evil casino tyrants come in. You are in the midst of something that people can easily identify as a "lost cause".
Said another wanker.
Real simple folks:
7 Eleven has a right to open and do business anywhere they are zoned to.
People have a right to protest the existence of 7 Eleven wherever.
In the end, it all comes down to this:
If you don't like 7 Eleven, don't patronize it and if enough if you don't, it will close. If it doesn't close, so be it. That means more people support it than don't and enough that it exists and there's really nothing you can do save bitch about it, which is what you'd be doing as you are certainly not physically shutting it down by illegal means.
Riddle me this:
Why not protest Starbucks and Subway who have killed the independent New York coffeshop and deli, respectively? Name me one independent non-Subway deli in the so-called "East Village" where I can get a footlong roast beef and swiss with mayo, tomato, and lettuce sub? Name me one place where I can sit and have a cup of green tea without having to buy food and sit there with my three friends where two of them aren't having anything?
D
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