I support what another letter writer said last week about Oak Park not needing to give subsidies to a profitable, expanding, nationwide company like Barnes & Noble. So it’s troubling that Oak Park official John Melaniphy is quoted in Crain’s Chicago Business on July 18, greatly praising B&N stores, and saying, “When people want instant gratification, they can go to Barnes & Noble.” Why doesn’t he say this about Oak Park’s locally-owned businesses, or not say it at all? There’s a difference between welcoming and cheerleading, and perhaps this crosses the line. I shop and dine in Oak Park three to four times weekly, living in Galewood, favoring locally owned places. Why is Oak Park so eager to give away money to large corporations that don’t need it, as B&N is already negotiating with the building owner?
Ronald Weslow
Chicago