New store to replace Save A Lot, but despite developer’s efforts, it’s not a grocery
There’s another new Dollar Tree coming to Wichita, and while it’s probably not quite as controversial as the one that’s opening in Comotara at 29th and Rock Road, it’s not entirely wanted either.
Developer Hamid Bakhtiari had the building at 2404 S. George Washington Blvd. under contract when a Save A Lot was located there. His deal was contingent on that store executing an option to stay, which it didn’t do.
Bakhtiari was still interested, though, and he said he approached the city and county about helping get another grocery store there.
“It was a really sad situation because we were very close on several occasions.”
Bakhtiari said he kept getting the same reply when he approached city and county leaders:
“There’s no mechanism to facilitate any government subsidy for a grocery store.”
Bakhtiari said he was left frustrated since the area is in what’s known as a food desert, meaning there aren’t nearby grocery stores for area residents.
“I mean, this thing was turnkey,” he said. “We couldn’t get any help putting together a plan.”
City spokeswoman Megan Lovely said the city did work with representatives for a couple of grocery stores.
“We explored different tools they could utilize,” she said.
Bakhtiari said there were various reasons those tools wouldn’t work, and he said one of the mechanisms would have involved increasing taxes on people in the area.
“Which, what sense does that make?” he said.
Lovely said the city doesn’t give cash subsidies, but Bakhtiari said he doesn’t see why not.
“It’s tough, and it’s frustrating, too, that everybody pretends like they want to solve this problem,” he said. “We give away a lot of incentives for other purposes, but to solve an actual need we couldn’t figure out a way to get it done.”
While Bakhtiari was working on landing a grocery store, he said the building sustained $150,000 in HVAC damage, “which was pretty tough.”
He said there was critical damage to the chiller system. Dollar Tree doesn’t need refrigeration, he said, “So it was a good fit.”
Bakhtiari said about 30% of the store will be food, such as chips, candy and macaroni. The store also will carry beverages.
“It definitely isn’t going to replace a grocery store, but it’s nice to at least have something of value,” he said. “It’ll be at least a nice anchor tenant to try to revitalize that center.”
There’s another 10,000 square feet left to lease at the 20,000-square-foot center. Drew Gannon of NAI Martens handles leasing at the center and did the Dollar Tree deal.
Of that remaining 10,000 square feet, there is 4,000 square feet of retail and another 6,000 square feet that will be marketed as warehouse space since it has a loading dock and 800-amp service.
Dollar Tree plans a Nov. 18 opening.
Bakhtiari is still interested in a grocery store and exploring the food desert issue, as are others.
City Council member Brandon Johnson said there is much need, and it’s something he wants to address.
“That’s a conversation we continue to have: What can we do right now?”
Also, he said he wants to learn how to help not only provide for immediate needs but also make that help sustainable.
Lovely said solving any food desert issue isn’t as simple as opening a grocery store.
Bakhtiari said he’s heard a lot of government talk and even whole studies about food deserts in Wichita, but his experience trying to find a grocery store for a food desert left him more than simply frustrated.
“It just really makes me wonder, do they really care or do they just want to have meetings and talk about caring?”
City Council member Jared Cerullo, in whose district the former Save A Lot building sits, said he’d be eager to talk to Bakhtiari and explore what options or even exceptions might make sense.
He added the caveat that “the city’s not a bank. We don’t loan money.”
Cerullo called food deserts a devastating problem for people in the lowest-income bracket.
“We have terrible food desert problems in southeast Wichita that need to be solved.”