Oak Park, Galewood residents unite against North Avenue pawn shop proposal

Tuesday, January 22nd, 2013 10:00 PM

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By Anna Lothson

Staff Reporter

In a half-mile stretch, there are three pawn shops on the Oak Park side of North Avenue from Ridgeland Avenue to just past Austin Boulevard. On the Chicago side there are two more.

The possibility of yet another has united Oak Parkers and Chicagoans in the Galewood neighborhood over an issue that's likely heading for a fight at Chicago's city hall.

Joe Graber and his wife Judith, along with a handful on North Avenue neighbors, traveled downtown Friday for a special hearing in front of a planning and urban development committee. After a few hours, the committee said it will not recommend the special use permit, but the final say is still up to the city's zoning board later this month.

Graber said representatives from EZ Pawn, a national retailer, a commercial real estate broker, an urban planner and a chairman from the bank that owns the property were present at the hearing. All spoke favorably about why the pawn shop was a good fit for the vacant space, but neighbors weren't buying it.

"They went on and on. They said there was no adverse effect on the neighborhood, that it was the greatest thing since sliced bread and it would generate income," Graber said. He doesn't agree.

About 50 people came to rally against the shop, and Graber figured those against would be dismissed by the committee. He was pleasantly surprised to hear after hours of testimony from each side that the commissioners sided with the neighbors.

"It was an amazing mix of people," Graber said. "I'm not sure if the committee was surprised or impressed that Oak Park was represented."

Graber said the Galewood residents were the main organizers but working across the suburban/city border was seamless.

"It was very smooth. It was a marriage made in heaven," he said. "They welcomed me with welcome arms. They are very concerned citizens over there."

Graber's worries that pawn shops don't promote business growth, but more importantly, they don't reflect the character and quality of the residents.

"We believe they have an adverse effect on the neighborhood," said the longtime Oak Parker, who has seen his once beloved street of food establishments and small businesses change for the worse. "We've seen a decrease in the quality of retail," he observed.

Oak Park attempted to improve North Avenue, Graber noted, but the initial plan of redoing Austin to Ridgeland got bumped in favor of the stretch from Harlem to Oak Park Avenue.

Graber also fears pawn shops attract thieves, promotes crime and increases the overall seediness of the street. An ordinance in Oak Park that passed after many back-and-forth discussions prohibits new pawn shops from opening, but there's nothing preventing another from opening across the street from the village.

Friday's hearing was to determine a recommendation for or against a special use permit to bring another pawn shop to the street, but the zoning board will weigh in on the matter later this month.

Local realtor Richard Blaurock, who leased two of the pawn shops on North Avenue, said generally he's not against the business per se, but putting competing businesses near each other doesn't promote healthy business growth.

"I'm certainly not against pawn shops, but I'm not in favor of too many of them in a concentrated area," he said. "But in my experience there is no adverse effect [from a pawn shop.]"

Cash American, for example, he said is one of his best tenants. There's a police substation in the area, and while it isn't always staffed, he does believe the presence helps. Historically speaking, he said Oak Park doesn't have as many issues as the Chicago side due to quick response time by Oak Park police.

But because Oak Park has significantly higher taxes for its businesses, retailers often opt to settle on the Chicago side, leaving Oak Park at a competitive disadvantage, Blaurock said.

Neighbors along the Chicago side, however, have come out in strong opposition to adding another pawn shop to the area, with most citing that it deters other businesses from wanting to move in and creates a negative perception of the neighborhood.

Larry Andolino, a municipal lawyer, provided an update to neighbors via a post on the neighborhood website Sunday. He said testimony from a former Chicago police officer indicated that shops led to increased crime. He also noted the transition the ward is undergoing. The neighborhood's aldermen also remain split on the matter.

Alderman Nicholas Sposato (36th Ward) is aligned with the neighbors, but Alderman Deborah Graham (29th) wrote a letter in support, according to Andolino's post. Neither alderman was available for comment.

Galewood resident David Throne has joined the bandwagon against the pawn shop because he wants to see Chicago stop businesses that don't promote healthy growth. He said realtors have come in and placed businesses that don't benefit those who live in the community.

"If we do not have legitimate businesses investing here and staying here, our real estate values and quality of living here will continue to plummet," he wrote on a community forum board. "The pawn shops and pay-day loan stores encourage poverty and increase crime. Our economy isn't dead yet. It's just broken and we can fix it."

He believes what the neighborhood needs is businesses that invest in the community and provide useful products to residents.

Thorne, who works in Internet marketing and promoting businesses, thinks pawn shops bring negative influences and possibly thieves to the neighborhood. Fly-by businesses like the hair salons, car washes and liquor stores, he said, have increased in the area. They come and go but don't provide necessary services for a community.

"These places just suck a community dry," he said by phone Tuesday. He is hoping the city will do more to help local food and retail businesses stay afloat.

A ruling on the application for the next possible pawn shop on North Avenue is expected later this month, but until then, Oak Park and Galewood residents said they'll do all they can to keep the community united and rallied.

Reader Comments

23 Comments - Add Your Comment

Comment Policy

History Repeats from Oak Park, Illinois

Posted: January 25th, 2013 10:05 PM

@Northeast Oak Parker - There's no more market for 6 pawn shops within a few blocks than for 6 wig shops on a similar stretch of Madison. That's why they survive for a year or so and go under. Roosevelt is revitalized, right? Oh yeah, on the Berwyn side of the street. A coincidence that several Trustees live near Lake and Marion? Do they need those heated sidewalks with all the hot air they blow around? Without the outskirts you reference this community is no more diverse than Winnetka.

Posted: January 25th, 2013 8:15 PM

Pay loan stores and multiple pawn shops sure to come in handy when our next property tax installments arrive. No standing in line.

Ray Simpson from Oak Park Facebook Verified

Posted: January 25th, 2013 7:51 PM

Watch the AARP supplemental health insurance ads. They actually say that all plans offer the same benefits - so why buy yours?

Jim Coughlin from Oak Park, Illinois Facebook Verified

Posted: January 25th, 2013 7:34 PM

Ray, same thing goes for many commercials touting the latest prescription drugs. Seems like half of the ad spot is devoted to warnings about potentially dangerous side effects.

Ray Simpson from Oak Park Facebook Verified

Posted: January 25th, 2013 7:31 PM

Jim- I just stepped through the credits and they don't have any disclaimer - weird. You would think that their lawyers would cover their tails.

Ray Simpson from Oak Park Facebook Verified

Posted: January 25th, 2013 7:08 PM

Jim - I will try to DVR the opening and closing credits, of Pawn Stars, and see if they admit salting the mine. I bet it is there just so fast and so small that you must not blink. If you watch the weight loss commercials they all say something about you should not expect these results.

Ray Simpson from Oak Park

Posted: January 25th, 2013 7:02 PM

Jim- I don't think anyone believes that you are seeing a representative slice of daily pawn shop life. The customer activity grows by magnitudes when they are filming and everyone wants their three minutes of fame. I read that the "Storage Wars" production team plant valuables and script the whole program. Dave Hester is suing the show because he blew the whistle and got fired. What advertiser wants to sponsor some mope paying 500 bucks for six bags of dirty underwear. Pawn shops predate our country and they do serve a purpose. They tend to be low key businesses that respect their customers privacy and are highly regulated. If there is enough demand, why are we getting our knickers in knots

Jim Coughlin from Oak Park, Illinois Facebook Verified

Posted: January 25th, 2013 3:03 PM

Ray, I've read reports that some of the items people bring in to that TV pawn shop are actually museum pieces that were loaned to the production company. No disclaimer or full disclosure for these staged reality shows is a red flag as to whether viewers are being misled.

Ray Simpson from Oak Park Facebook Verified

Posted: January 25th, 2013 2:24 PM

Chet - my daughter lives and works in Vegas and passes by the Pawn Stars Pawn Shop every day. She reports that you can tell when they are shooting the program. People lined up around the block. Rest of the time walk right in. Like Storage Wars it is all scripted.

Ray Simpson from Oak Park

Posted: January 25th, 2013 10:19 AM

A year ago everyone was up in arms about the gun dealer on Roosevelt Road. Not one negative report since - just a guy providing a service and some tax revenue. If an additional pawn shop can survive by doing a better service for its customers so be it. If we have passed the saturation point, one or more of them will fail. It is the free market at work. Occupied retail space is always better than empty stores, they provide employment and tax revenues.

Chet from Oak Park

Posted: January 24th, 2013 4:12 PM

Maybe Oak Park will get its own reality show on the History Channel.

Choo Choo

Posted: January 24th, 2013 10:44 AM

Scum breads scum. Dont believe the hype

FYI

Posted: January 24th, 2013 8:52 AM

@Dan H: "Oak Park is now known as the "village of pawn shops, pay day loans, and store front day care centers?"..... The village has all of 4 or 5 such pawn or loan businesses. Not a fan of pawn shops, but aren't you being a bit hyperbolic?

OP Transplant

Posted: January 24th, 2013 8:42 AM

I'm no fan of pawn shops, but does anyone really imagine that there is some additional negative impact that will be felt with a sixth pawn shop that isn't already felt with five?

Northeast Oak Parker from Oak park

Posted: January 24th, 2013 8:11 AM

To "history repeats," where's the "diversity" in six pawn shops within a few blocks? Oak Park needs to start paying as much attention to its outskirts, North Ave (especially east of OP Ave) and Roosevelt, as it does to Lake and Marion for this community to thrive.

Dan Hefner from Oak Park

Posted: January 24th, 2013 8:00 AM

It's over, "the ship has already sailed", "the cow is out of the barn". Oak Park at one time know as the "village of churches" with over 60 diverse churches in a three square mile area. Oak Park is now known as the "village of pawn shops, pay day loans, and store front day care centers".

Rez

Posted: January 24th, 2013 12:55 AM

The stretch of north running from Austin to Ridgeland is already starting to look pretty depressing. It's not until you get west of Ridgeland that things start to get a little nicer with some decent businesses. We have wig stores and pawn shops... I'm sure the Realtor would also see no harm in helping liquor stores find their place on North too. After all, it's all about the almighty dollar, right? Certainly not about the long term prosperity or safety of the community.

OP Guy

Posted: January 24th, 2013 12:45 AM

Of course the Realtor sees no harm in it... it makes him money. Lets not forget the blockbusting Realtors started in Austin that caused mass scale white flight. One more pawn shop means another place where robbers and burglars can unload their loot, and having it placed on North only makes it that much more convenient for criminals. Politicians and Realtors who think this won't have negative effects are either completely ignorant (which I doubt), or have no morals.

History Repeats from Oak Park, Illinois

Posted: January 23rd, 2013 9:44 PM

Funny how you can replace the words "Pawn Shop" with "Affordable Housing Development" and you have nearly a word for word repeat of the articles about the opposition to the Madison Ave development. The neighbors who protested one are called NIMBY's. The neighbors who protest the other are just protecting their community against "places that suck a community dry" and "businesses that create a negative perception". I guess people either want a diverse community or they don't, right?

jeff

Posted: January 23rd, 2013 3:43 PM

The committee voted 2 to 1 in favour of the pwan shop. It's a travesty that Deborah Grahm went against the united community of Oak Park and Galewood. She has to go.

bobo from Oak Park

Posted: January 23rd, 2013 1:53 PM

They should have just called it something like "All-Natural Organic Fair Trade Pawn Shop" and nobody would have complained.

OP Transplant

Posted: January 23rd, 2013 12:28 PM

I'm not sure I understand. There are already five pawn shops in that stretch, but neighbors are concerned that a sixth will have an adverse effect on the community? I can see wanting none, but why five but not six?

Posted: January 23rd, 2013 6:43 AM

Can we work on the gas stations next?

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