"Save Sack and Save, Tear Down Fouts"

[tmjerm]

if they tore down Fouts instead, I guess we could have track meets up and down the grocery aisles.

could be fun..

[GreenMachine]

Wouldn't this closing surely present an opportunity for another market of some kind to open very near the campus for students to access? I would think that would be the case

That's exactly what Eagle1855 just stated. If there is truly a demand, a store will pop up, if not, it won't.

[DoubleEagle]

If there was sufficient demand for a grocery store within walking distance to campus, there would already be a new one. That's how capitalism works.

Business owners have the right to operate their businesses in whatever (legal) manner they choose. That's how the free market works. The availability of other options is irrelevant. The fact that some people don’t care for the store’s appearance is irrelevant. The fact that some people don’t think Sack n Save is as cheap as other options is irrelevant. If Sack n Save wasn't making money it would go out of business...apparently that is not the case.

I think that corner is an eyesore as well and I hope the University and the owners of Sack n Save can come to an agreement, but using Eminent Domain is not justified in my opinion.

[SilverEagle]

I just shed an economic tear. 88 cents? What is that, very early 70s(ish)?

Yep, early 70's. It was a special one of the liquor stores in Lake Dallas ran as part of their grant opening.

[Eagle1855]

Business owners have the right to operate their businesses in whatever (legal) manner they choose. That's how the free market works. The availability of other options is irrelevant. The fact that some people don’t care for the store’s appearance is irrelevant. The fact that some people don’t think Sack n Save is as cheap as other options is irrelevant. If Sack n Save wasn't making money it would go out of business...apparently that is not the case.

I think that corner is an eyesore as well and I hope the University and the owners of Sack n Save can come to an agreement, but using Eminent Domain is not justified in my opinion.

I won't don't argue with any of this. In fact, I fully acknowledge Eminent Domain is at times a questionable practice, as it often dispropotionately affects/targets the poor (this happened at UT-Austin recently as well, causing the closure of several beloved, iconic spots). So if we want to argue about Eminent Domain itself, I'm glad to do so. I recognize it's a tough line to toe.

But since Eminent Domain exists, and if it is indeed to be used for the betterment (in this case, expansion/access) of a public entity, why wouldn't this be a good use of it? Sack N Save isn't really the point. There are several other businesses which will be affected as well and hope all of them make out like bandits in this with whatever deal they strike with UNT.

Someone's always going to be on the receiving end of projects meant for the greater good of a community. And so we try to minimize collateral damage. Which sounds heartless, but that's just reality.

Edited October 9, 2014 by Eagle1855

[James]

As a student I believe it's for the betterment of our university and city to acquire that land and eventually create the new entrance to the university. It'll only help our efforts to attract more people to the region. It'll even help the city with those who are just driving down I35 on their way north or south. No longer will they remember Denton as the "place with the giant Sack N Save" but rather the place with the pretty campus off the highway.

It's a necessary evil.

[The Fake Lonnie Finch]

I hate conflict.

[forevereagle]

Have they used ED yet? I thought that they were going to negotiate the sale of the property without ED and only use that as a last resort.

[Eagle1855]

Have they used ED yet? I thought that they were going to negotiate the sale of the property without ED and only use that as a last resort.

Regardless, I think knowing that the option exists gives the University an advantage going into negotiations.

[oldguystudent]

Have they used ED yet?

They tried, but it was a flop.

[forevereagle]

They tried, but it was a flop.

Kind of a limp joke, don't you think?

[NorthTexan95]

When the school is ready to use ED they'll only have four hours to complete the process.

[GreenMachine]

When the school is ready to use ED they'll only have four hours to complete the process.

If not, they need to call a dr.

[oldguystudent]

Kind of a limp joke, don't you think?

I wasn't up for the occasion.

[Cerebus]

Tear down Fouts OR Sack and Save? This seems like an AND situation to me.

Edited October 9, 2014 by Cerebus

[greenit]

To be clear, the real estate company owns the lot. Sack m Save is just a tenant. The real estate company is getting paid by TxDot and will get paid by UNT.

Edited October 10, 2014 by greenit

[Rudy]

I'm all for a grocery store option within walking distance from campus, but as for Fout's or Sack n Save, let's make it a contest. Whichever one with the fewest roaches stays.

[JesseMartin]

I'm surprised there are a whopping 100 likes on the Facebook page opposing UNT taking the Sack and Save. However will they compete with such a strong constituency? This whole University will go down if they can't assuage that burgeoning crowd.

Seriously, if you shop smart, you can make Albertson's and Kroger cheaper, you just have to watch sales and clearance. And you can get there with public transportation. I would hope that students accepted to UNT, with its new, higher admissions standards, would have the problem solving skills to work all of this out.

Also, yes, a good chunk of the Greek houses are new, a little over a decade old. The Delta Sigs, Sigma Nus, Phi Kaps, and I think Kappa Sigs had their houses before then, as did KA but I don't know what's there (KA) now. The sororities had to meet in meeting rooms in College Inn before theirs were finally built.

[MeanGreen01]

Please tear it down ASAP, we can leave a small Sack And Slave Statue for those that are sad!

[TheWestie]

Wow, way to go NT Daily. Write a story about Sack N Save and leave out the part about how the I-35 expansion is gonna leave it with only a few dozen parking spots.

This stuff is starting to erk me. Sack N Save is F'd no matter what but it's not because of UNT. The 35 expansion and the total rebuilding of the North Texas Blvd bridge and intersection is wiping out most of the area. The new TxDOT I-35E Right of Way is going to go smack dab in the middle of the Sack N Save parking lot, with the actual feeder road right over the southern 1/4 of the existing parking lot. THAT is happening REGARDLESS of the university trying to acquire the rest of the property. Counting spots on Google Maps, Sack N Save currently has about 179 spots including Handicapped spaces. Judging by the TXDOT map, they'll be left with just over 50. For a full service grocery store. Natural Grocers on University Dr. has right at 50 spots. The Cupboard on Elm St. has a little over 60. Brookshires has over 180 spaces. Kroger on University has over 170. The giant Kroger on Loop 288 has around 250.

And lets not forget that that property has been included in the UNT Master Plan for the last decade. When Norvie was still around, they were talking about building UNT building on top of Sack N Save and Panchos. And in the 2013 Master Plan with all the updates, which we all poured over looking for baseball stuff, it's all in there too.

The people treating this situation like big bad UNT snuck up behind poor little Sack N Save and are trying to strong arm them into closing have had their eyes closed and their fingers in their ears for the last decade.

And yes according to the Master Plan proposed buildings map, my beloved Sub Hub and cheap-ass Chinese food on Ave C is gonna go away too. Which makes me sad.

Edited October 10, 2014 by TheWestie

[greenit]

Isn't most of any actual cost savings normally due to that fact you are buying a generic brand or a dent and scratch mystery can? I don't recall there being much of a difference when comparing the same product from the same manufacturer.

I think they also still have quite a selection of Texas Rangers 2011 World Series Champion apparel that they were able to secure cheaply.

[C Vo]

Wow, way to go NT Daily. Write a story about Sack N Save and leave out the part about how the I-35 expansion is gonna leave it with only a few dozen parking spots.

This stuff is starting to erk me. Sack N Save is F'd no matter what but it's not because of UNT. The 35 expansion and the total rebuilding of the North Texas Blvd bridge and intersection is wiping out most of the area. The new TxDOT I-35E Right of Way is going to go smack dab in the middle of the Sack N Save parking lot, with the actual feeder road right over the southern 1/4 of the existing parking lot. THAT is happening REGARDLESS of the university trying to acquire the rest of the property. Counting spots on Google Maps, Sack N Save currently has about 179 spots including Handicapped spaces. Judging by the TXDOT map, they'll be left with just over 50. For a full service grocery store. Natural Grocers on University Dr. has right at 50 spots. The Cupboard on Elm St. has a little over 60. Brookshires has over 180 spaces. Kroger on University has over 170. The giant Kroger on Loop 288 has around 250.

And lets not forget that that property has been included in the UNT Master Plan for the last decade. When Norvie was still around, they were talking about building UNT building on top of Sack N Save and Panchos. And in the 2013 Master Plan with all the updates, which we all poured over looking for baseball stuff, it's all in there too.

The people treating this situation like big bad UNT snuck up behind poor little Sack N Save and are trying to strong arm them into closing have had their eyes closed and their fingers in their ears for the last decade.

And yes according to the Master Plan proposed buildings map, my beloved Sub Hub and cheap-ass Chinese food on Ave C is gonna go away too. Which makes me sad.

And the Beer Barn on Bonnie Brae and W. Prairie St.

[C Vo]

The late, great UNT President Dr. Norval Pohl gave out a warning to Denton businesses and residents about 13-14 years ago that if you had property near the North Texas campus expect it to become future property of the University. I'm surprised its taken this long for UNT acquire the Sack N' Save property. The master plan for land acquisition is just starting to roll near I 35E.

TEAR DOWN FOUTS & SACK N' SAVE!!!!

Edited October 10, 2014 by C Vo

[JesseMartin]

New York Sub Hub and Taco Cabana...that's the real travesty here.

But yeah, with the expansion, UNT is kinda doing Snatch n Shave a favor by buying them out. And it's not like they're barred from the rest of town, either. They could rent or build a new spot anywhere they want. Is there still a big empty bunch of space up Bonnie Brae before you hit University (and Albertson's), or was something built there already? That would still be close enough to serve most of the people disenfranchised by the closure of the current location too.

[Cerebus]

The late, great UNT President Dr. Norval Pohl gave out a warning to Denton businesses and residents about 13-14 years ago that if you had property near the North Texas campus expect it to become future property of the University. I'm surprised its taken this long for UNT acquire the Sack N' Save property. The master plan for land acquisition is just starting to roll near I 35E.

Some of the leadership after Pohl didn't share his... uh... leadership.