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Neighborhood group urges city support to keep Center Street Safeway open amid losses and safety concerns
Summary
Northeast Neighbors representatives told council the Center Street Safeway is losing roughly $1,000 a day and faces potential closure; they credited recent additional police presence with improving conditions and asked the city to consider ways to support the store.
A representative of the neighborhood group Northeast Neighbors asked Salem City Council on April 14 to help keep the Center Street Safeway open, saying the store is losing significant money and that safety issues have been a barrier for customers and the business.
"The store is losing approximately $1,000 a day in losses, which is $800,000 in 6 months," said Lynn Takata, a Ward 1 resident speaking on behalf of Northeast Neighbors. Takata told council that manager Carlos Gutierrez was unable to attend the meeting due to a family emergency but planned to appear at a future meeting to describe the store's situation.
Takata and other speakers said a recent meeting involving the mayor, Salem Police representatives and community partners led to increased police assignment in the area, which neighborhood members said has improved conditions in the short term. Councilors and residents credited the added police presence but noted it was a short-term step and asked staff to consider longer-term solutions to address safety and business viability.
Councilor Matthews said she had attended a meeting with the store manager and others and encouraged continued coordination between the city, police and business owners. No formal city action was taken during the meeting; speakers asked the council to consider ways the city can help stabilize the store and the surrounding neighborhood.
