9/20/11

Da Hood

Our neighborhood is a nice mix of older, established homes with lots of character.  We were drawn to this neighborhood because we started out in a new housing subdivision where all of the houses were cookie cutter houses with every third or fourth house having the same layout and brick color.  We have all kinds of families represented in our neck of the woods. We are surrounded by an Asian family, three black families and a host of older and younger white families.  I like our neighborhood.  But like all things lovely, we are unfortunately surrounded by a not so lovely apartment complex and small businesses that are…. slummy (for lack of a better word). To add insult to injury, we now have the unfortunate pleasure of welcoming a new business to our neighborhood called:

P1030897

I am not even joking!  Da’ Hood.  Are you kidding me? For real? Anyway, when the sign first popped up I laughed my ever lovin’ head off!  And then I thought to myself… down goes our property values.  Because lets face it.  If that sign had been in place when we were house hunting, we probably would have purchased a house elsewhere. 

Well, the point to this post is to get some opinions on something that happened the other day.  Last Saturday, a nice little white lady came to our door with a petition to have the name of the business changed.  Her rationale was that the name of the business was not reflective of the neighborhood as a whole nor our values.  I was asleep throughout her visit and Terrance told me about it later that evening.  I asked if he signed the petition and he said NO!  To that I said, “Well, why not because I would have.”  His response was that he can’t fault the owners for trying to start a legitimate business.  Yes, the name is terrible but they could be doing a host of other not so legal things and we should give them a chance. 

Call me a dream smasher but if it comes down to me having less money in my pocket when it comes time to sell our home, then the sign needs to go.  Period. The end.  My needs trump their dreams.  It’s rude and selfish but it is what it is.  So I asked Terrance what if they named the business ‘Hoochie Hut’ or ‘The Klan’ or something else not desirable would he have signed the petition? Or what if it had been a nice little old black lady that asked for his signature? I never got a straight answer.  He just shrugged his shoulders. 

I’ve gotten mixed opinions when I ask people about it.  My biracial friend Tanya pointed out that the name on the sign is not what’s bringing down the property values.  It’s the whole block surrounding our neighborhood that’s the problem which is a good point.  She also said that she wouldn’t have signed the petition.  I still stand firm in the fact that the name should be changed but maybe there’s an aspect that I’m missing here.  Please feel free to leave your opinion!

7 comments:

  1. I'm sooo team Shanita on this one! Heck yah I would have signed that petition. A legitimate business, Terrace?? A strip club is a legitimate business but I don't want it around the corner from my house. AND, it's not the business itself that's in question just the trashy name. Your home is your biggest financial investment and should be protected if possible. I'd track down that little old lady and forge his signature!!

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  2. That's a good point Gretch about the strip club. I'm gonna throw that one at Terrance. They can keep their store selling cheap cigs and lotto tickets. Just change the name to something a bit more classy!

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  3. I'm on the fence with this one, kind of like "Fat Ho Burgers" in Texas. I believe that any business has the right to name itself whatever it wants, but I don't have to want it in my neighborhood. I support entrepreneurship, so doubt I would sign the petition. However, I probably wouldn't patronize the store either. I see both sides of the debate.

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  4. I'm as black as they come and that mess needs to be changed YESTERDAY!

    Awful...

    I'm insulted and would have signed the petition 2x and joined the lady going door to door!

    Ashley

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  5. When it comes to homes what surrounds it can add value or take away. Its obvious that this in my mind takes way value. If the community supports this store than the writings on the wall for me, Im out. The business has a right to do this just like the lady has a right to voice thru petition. Now I see the value of home associations.

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  6. Oh, I forgot to ask, is the chicken good?

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  7. Shanita,

    I seriously looked into buying a house in your neighborhood, but closer to the golf course. I love that neighborhood! But the surrounding apartments and the local public school system terrified me...

    I also really like the neighborhoods off of 157 in Arlington, but hate the Gentleman's Clubs you have to drive by to get there. No way I want my children looking at that mess every day going in and out of the neighborhood!

    sigh... It is what it is...

    You have no reason to feel bad about your feelings! Stay strong!

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