Regardless of who you are or how much you may enjoy a drink it seems everyone can agree that there are just too many damn liquor stores in River East. Whether you live in Ward 7 or Ward 8...in Anacostia or Congress Heights you can't swing a dead cat without hitting a liquor store.

We have all complained about it. We all have a liquor store (if not more) in our neighborhood that is on this side of sleazy and not only brings nothing positive to the neighborhood but takes something away from it.

For $2,600 almost anyone can get a Type A Retailers license (the liquor store license). Isn't our community worth more than $2,600? You know the liquor stores are bringing in way more than that but how many are contributing back to the very community they are exploiting? I don't think that it is far fetched to assume that the owners of most of these liquor stores are not living in a community with a run down liquor store on every corner. They are essentially doing in our community what they would NOT tolerate in theirs. Why should we?

We are looking for progress and change in our community in the form of family friendly and community contributing businesses and let's be honest the neighborhood liquor store ain't cutting it. Most of these liquor stores are not only eyesores but are epicenters of trash, public drunkenness and more likely that not crime.

It's time that we unite as a community and put a stop to it. Some ANCs have tried to fight the battle on their own as well as some neighborhoods but we need to be united as one collective body and start picking off these parasites one by one. We need to make it clear that we will no longer tolerate outside forces coming into our community sucking out the already limited resources and leaving nothing but negativity in it's wake.

The Advoc8te has always had a personal policy of not patronizing businesses that would only take my money through a slot from behind bullet proof glass. Hey Business Owner -if my neighborhood is too dangerous for you to treat me like a respected and valued customer then perhaps this is not the neighborhood for you. I should not feel privileged for you to take my money - you should feel privileged to have me as a customer. The same goes for business (such as our local gas stations) that refuse to take credit cards or that make you do everything short of submit a retinal exam in order to use your credit card - provided of course you spend the minimum or pay the credit card surcharge (both which are highly illegal). The Advoc8te also has a rule about ordering food from establishments with dirty windows and no seating but I digress.

The Advoc8te along with several other concerned citizens has decided it is time to unite our collective forces to not only put a stop to the wave of liquor stores flooding our community but to take an active and aggressive stance to have nuisance liquor stores removed from our community through protests, complaints and ABRA hearings.

If we take one liquor store at a time and unite our efforts (regardless of where you may live) together we can make positive change either through cooperation via Voluntary Agreements or suspensi on or even revocation of a liquor stores license.

No longer should citizens wait for someone to take the lead such as our ANCs - to be honest sometimes they either aren't on the ball or they are just outgunned so we need to unite. In the case of ANC 8C (where Mart Liquors is located) collectively they just aren't going to do anything even when residents have brought it to their attention repeatedly. As usual no action = no progress.

To that end and as a launch for our plan "Last Call for Liquor Stores" we are inviting all residents whether you live in River East of not to get together and lets nominate and then as a group work together to affect positive change in our community.

Everyone in River East not just Ward 8 has a liquor store they would like to see go. This isn't a judgement on alcohol (again the Advoc8te loves an ice cold Smirnoff) but there comes a time when a community needs to decide just where it wants to go. There is a distinct difference between a neighborhood Wine and Spirits store and a run down liquor store on every corner.

In Ward 8 we have finally gotten our first sit down restaurant yet we are awash in liquor stores. What sense does that make? What does that say about our priorities?

On the corner of Malcolm X Ave SE and Martin Luther King Ave SE at the very intersection named after two civil rights leaders what type of businesses do we have attest to the success of our community? to the progress?

Mart Liquor

Ace Check Cashing

Popeye's Chicken

A run down park which doubles as an open air shelter and at times drug market

This would almost be funny if it wasn't so damn sad and a display of the worst type of African American neighborhood stereotypes.

We can do better - we MUST do better and since for whatever reason change is not happening or happening fast enough it is us to us in the community to unite - regardless of what our ANCs or Civic Groups decide to do. Despite what the DC government decides to do.

WE must be responsible.

To that end we have elected that Mart Liquors located at the corner of Malcolm X Ave and Martin Luther King Ave be our first "Last Call" project. We are asking that folks take a minute and send a complaint form to ABRA click HERE to submit your complaint and express your desire to have this liquor store NOT have their liquor license renewed you can also send an email to william.hager@dc.gov or cynthia.simms@dc.gov . Other options on how to lodge a complaint or show your support are listed below along with pictures of this eyesore and drain on community resources. Of all the amenities and businesses that are really needed in River East we could do without another run down liquor store and the nuisances that come along with it.

A PUBLIC HEARING WILL BE HELD MONDAY, JUNE 8TH AT 10AM TO DISCUSS THE MART LIQUOR RENEWAL LICENCE. If you can make it we would love to have you come out. If you are unable but would still like to offer your support please file a complaint online or send an email to CongressHeightsOnTheRise@gmail.com expressing your desire to have Mart Liquors liquor license not renewed.

More information will be provided in the coming days on how concerned citizens can offer their support as well as nominate liquor stores in their neighborhood for the "Last Call" treatment. Feel free to comment on this blog with the names and locations of liquor stores in your area you would like to see removed.

Would love if our sister and brother blogs as well as community organizations and civic groups will pick up the call as well as they are a great medium to get the word out and to garner community support.