Letter to the Editor: I Support 7-11 in Princeton

Dear Editor –

I miss Davidson’s. When we moved here about 20 years ago Davidson’s served as our neighborhood convenience store. I didn’t do my weekly shopping there, but when I noticed that I ran out of that one thing I needed, I could walk over and usually find it. Unfortunately, through the evolution and ultimate demise of food stores at that location, that convenience has been lost.

Now we have that opportunity again. 7-11, while certainly no Davidson’s, is a convenience store. I took a look at the 7-11 in Ewing, and found a wide selection of staple items – milk, cream, eggs, butter, cheese, laundry soap, dish soap, bar soap, flour, sugar, paper towels, toilet paper, OTC medications, and more. Heck, they even had Arm & Hammer Baking Soda! So when I hear discussions of “quality of life,” I think there’s more to it than just the middle of the night hours that seem to be the primary focus of the neighborhood. I think of the quality that comes from not having to get in my car to run out and buy that one item I need (or, truth be told, sending one of my kids out to get it), keeping Princeton as walkable as possible.

I know people will point to Whole Earth or CVS as places where you might find similar items. While true, those are both less convenient. I can’t be in mid-preparation for dinner and just pop out to get that item I need. Or need something late night and expect them to be open. And the distance traveled is much longer than the distance the Dinky station was moved, which caused so much angst.

But what of the noise and “trouble” that will occur in the middle of the night? We should have access to all the data we need about disturbances from the Princeton Police experience with Wawa. Being closer to Route 1 you’d expect more traffic and trouble. I can’t remember ever hearing about it, but if there is evidence to support the assertion of the troubles that await, let’s have it aired publicly.

Finally, let’s call this what it is – this is an attempt to keep the 7-11 from opening in Princeton. In the prior public meeting it was mentioned numerous times that this is a proactive step – not waiting until there’s an issue to act. It’s not proactive, it’s reactive. The property owner was trying to fill his building with a business that met all Princeton regulations. Then came the reaction. We have plenty of ordinances on the books that 7-11 will have to follow, and if there are truly major issues it was made clear that hours of operation ordinances can be subsequently enacted. This would be a reasonable reaction to an actual issue, not a reaction to an issue that may or may not exist.

Jim Levine

Linden Lane