City says local market is contributing to crime rates

There is some controversy surrounding a Wilmington non-profit, and nearby convenience store.

The city says Village Stop and Shop Market is contributing to the high crime rate in the area by selling alcohol and cigarettes. They say the crime is so bad, it violates a state statute.

The owner of the store has leased the property for nearly 2 decades. The city says it is time for it to go.

After owning the Village Stop and Shop Market on Vance Street for eighteen years, Muhammad Khalil is in a tough place. “Every business is responsible for what goes on inside his business, not what goes on outside,” said Khalil.

The city of Wilmington wants Khalil to relocate his business, claiming the sale of alcohol and cigarettes is upping the crime rate in the area.

Lynn Coleman, Assistant City Attorney said, “The city is primarily concerned with the excessive crime that is going on in the parking lot.”

The Wilmington Police Department recently sent a letter to the Vance Street businesses saying, “the community has complained this area is a possible location for illegal activities.” According to the city, the numbers back that up. So far this year, there have been 77 calls to the police from both the market and First Fruit Ministries. 18 of which were drug related.

The owner of the Village Stop and Shop said he lets his customers come and use the phone if they see a crime or altercation in the neighborhood. “If he sees a crime, he’s going to call, but guess what I’m getting blamed for that,” said Khalil.

“We really applaud those efforts, and Mr. Khalil and his store for trying to be a good neighbor,” said Coleman,

If the store has to move, people who live nearby say they will be ones who will suffer the most.
Many have no transportation to get to another grocery store.

Local resident, Julie Cottle said, “They need a store here, people have to eat, people have to be able to walk somewhere when they don’t have money.”

“They depended on coming up here when they couldn’t get to the bigger stores, all the way down to Food Lion, when they didn’t have transportation they knew they could come to Mike’s,” said local resident, Linda Yopp.

Fresh Fruits Ministries and the city have not told Khalil when he needs to be out, but he said he needs more than just sixty days to relocate a store of his size.