Area Residents Say "No" to Pawnshop

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Members of the South Shore Gardens Betterment Association protest a proposed Cash America Inc. of Illinois pawnshop's move into the community. Photo/Deborah Bayliss
Members of the South Shore Gardens Betterment Association protest a proposed Cash America Inc. of Illinois pawnshop's move into the community. Photo/Deborah Bayliss

A local community group and other residents turned out Saturday to protest a pawn shop's proposed move into a strip mall at 95th Street and Clyde Avenue on Chicago's South side.

Members of the South Shore Gardens Betterment Association, a group that promotes initiatives and policies that preserve and promote the highest quality of life for the South Shore, South Chicago, Avalon Park and Calumet Heights communities, say they will fight to the end to prevent Cash America Inc. of Illinois from moving in.

Johnny Acoff, vice president of South Shore Gardens Betterment Association said, "We're protesting because we have the worst kind of business trying to install themselves into the community...a pawn shop. Pawnshops do a lot of things with the gangs and selling guns and back and forth," he said as he referred to a recent newspaper article detailing a lawsuit brought against a Mississippi pawnshop that allegedly sold a handgun used to kill off-duty Chicago police officer, Thomas Wortham IV, three years ago.

The lawsuit, filed last Wednesday in Oxford, Miss, on behalf of Wortham's parents and sister, accused Ed's Pawn Shop in Byhallia, Miss., of negligence for failing to recognize clues that the gun's buyer was making an illegal purchase and block the sale.

"Also, the problems with a pawnshop, is it presents a problem with kids breaking into your garage and stealing lawnmowers and anything of value to sell to the pawnshop."

Acoff said the group on Saturday who gathered on the corner of 95th Street and Clyde Avenue with blue and white protest signs, are sending a loud message to Cash America Inc., of Illinois, headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas.

Acoff said a lot of people didn't know the pawnshop was trying to move into the area.

Jessie Harley, president of the Garden group was hoping for a large turnout. By noon, about 25 to 30 people were there to take part in the protest, with more scheduled to show up.

"We put out almost 500 flyers at different meetings but on Saturday, people have other things to do so we're hoping to get a good turnout," Harley said.

Sandra Lopez has lived in the community near the pawn shop for over 30 years and was on hand for the protest.

"This is a thriving community and we need to see more in this community besides a pawn shop," Lopez said. We need to set a good example for the homeowners and for our younger generation. Let's keep our revenue here. The pawnshop owners are not going to do anything for the community. They don't even live in the community."

Lopez said meetings scheduled to meet with the City of Chicago's zoning committee are continually cancelled.

Lopez suggested pawn shop owners should try putting the pawnshop somewhere on Michigan Avenue.

"Just keep it out of our neighborhood. We don't need it," Lopez said.

Lopez said they want to get new 7th Ward Alderman, Natashia Holmes and the Mayor involved.

"We're trying to keep our community thriving," Lopez said.

Nubia Ptah was on her way to run errands on Saturday when she came across the group.

"I saw something about this in a news article and I tore it out," Ptah said. "A pawnshop is just going to bring more crime and they know that but they don't care because they're going to build more prisons. It's problematic all the way around."

A 6:30 p.m. meeting with Ald. Holmes is scheduled for Wednesday, May 1 at the Greater Morning View church at 2335 E. 100th St.

Yulonda Walker, spokesperson for Cash America declined comment until the matter goes before the zoning board.

By Deborah Bayliss

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