Tall Oaks neighbors try to lure Bloom
By Claire Compton
Giant has moved on, and so have the surrounding residents of Tall Oaks. After 34 years, the grocery store closure has left a void that threatens to collapse the entire shopping center, which now stands more than 50-percent empty.
Neighbors aren't about to stand idly by, however, and they have the distinct advantage of counting their county supervisor as a nearby resident who lives within walking distance of Tall Oaks.
“[My husband] walked out the door the other day and realized, oh, I can't go to Giant,” Supervisor Cathy Hudgins (D-Hunter Mill) said.
While Hudgins works with the landowner and leasing agent to find both short- and long-term solutions, Bentana Woods cluster president Tara Coonin is opening up a more traditional line of communication to find a solution with a postcard campaign.
To date, Coonin said she has handed out nearly 1,500 postcards addressed to the Bloom Grocery Store Real Estate Department, urging the chain to open a location in Tall Oaks. Residents simply have to sign the card and stick a stamp on it.
A woman who answered the phone in Bloom Real Estate Department said they've “been enjoying those, there's been so many.” The typical efforts involve a couple phone calls, she said.
Tom Grassberger, to whom the postcards have been addressed, declined to comment but confirmed he has in fact been receiving postcards.
Coonin said she targeted Bloom because of rumors that the company had made appointments to see the space and was considering opening a store there. Whatever Bloom's current plans, Coonin said she hoped the postcards would demonstrate a receptive customer base.
“I figured a thousand in 30 days would drive someone batty, eventually the guy would dream coming into work and getting these postcards. That way at least we get noticed versus just a couple of us sending a letter,” she said.
A postcard campaign directed toward Giant to keep them open seemed pointless, she said.
“It was obvious Giant wasn't going to stay by the way they made the announcement,” she said, referring to the notice of only three weeks.
Coonin said Bloom representatives did not deny they had looked at the space when she contacted them. Despite her best efforts, Coonin, a Realtor, said an ulterior motive by the owners may mean Tall Oaks has an uncertain future.
“I'm not convinced the landlord or the management company are doing that much to fill the space,” she said. “I wonder if they aren't trying to vacate it to redevelop it.”