Mt. Vernon May Block 24-Hour Store

In a move to keep the community fiber of historic Mt. Vernon as clean as possible, councilman William H. Cole IV introduced a bill last week that would restrict the operating hours of any convenience store located in the area. The move comes amid plans by 7-Eleven to open a store near the Washington Monument. Said Cole:

A 24-hour location in that area is not going to help the community at all. Everything to me says this is not going to be a good fit.

Cole was specifically concerned about the type of crowds that gather at another 7-Eleven store located in Federal Hill and would rather have the site of the proposed store remain vacant rather than allow a new store. From a Baltimore Sun article on the topic:

Cole’s bill would amend the neighborhood’s urban renewal plan to require that any convenience store in the historic district be closed from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m., seven days a week.

Neighborhood activists have opposed the plan to bring the store to the vacant site at the southeast corner of Charles and Centre streets, fearing that it would attract intoxicated bar patrons after closing time and draw people from a planned 24-hour homeless shelter on Fallsway.

Last month a group of city agencies, cultural groups and neighbors raised $297,000 to buy the building, but their efforts fell short of the $450,000 sale price.

And, even though none of the 7-Eleven franchises in the city currently have a liquor license, Cole is very concerned that the company may change it’s mind on that front in the future and apply for - and receive - such licenses, a move he very much wishes to avoid.

Generally speaking, it would appear that blockage of the new store would be a positive for Mt. Vernon real estate values, and it’s clear from their efforts to raise money that neighbors don’t want the store to open.