Battle For Wegmans In Owings Mills Heats Up
OWINGS MILLS, Md. (WJZ) -- A community divided. The battle to bring a Wegmans supermarket to Owings Mills heats up as a group against the proposal gets some support from homeowners.
Gigi Barnett has the details.
When Wegmans Supermarket opened its doors in Columbia back in June, it was the most-requested location in the company's history. Now the grocery store chain has set its sights on the old Solo Factory in Owings Mills, but there isn't a welcome mat here.
"Am I against Wegmans? The answer is no. It's a quality store. I'd love to have one in Owings Mills [but] not here," said Shirley Supik.
Supik, a retired landscaper, started a group called Say No To Solo Coalition. It's collected more than 7,000 signatures from Baltimore County shoppers and residents who say a Wegmans on the corner of Reisterstown and Painter's Mill roads would attract more traffic to an already congested area.
"What I'm advocating is that it's in a place that can take the traffic," Supik said. "I want you to go to police in this area, to first responders and ask them how they feel about bringing all this extra traffic on the road."
Supik's group wants to see manufacturing jobs return to the plant.
"Why create something that's going to take money out of our pockets? Why not create something that's going to put money back into our pockets?" Supik said.
But Greenberg Gibbons---the company in charge of the redevelopment---is firing back by creating a Facebook page for customers who want a Wegmans.
"It's a great store," Fred Gager said. "I'm depending on my elected officials to rearrange the roads so it won't be a problem."
So far, more than 3,000 people have signed on to Facebook supporting the proposed Wegmans in Owings Mills.
The County Council takes up the decision in a rezoning hearing on Tuesday.
