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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Family set on rebuilding Flint, starting with revitalization of Center City Plaza
Nicole Weddington | nwedding@mlive.com By Nicole Weddington | nwedding@mlive.com
on April 19, 2014 at 6:00 AM, updated April 19, 2014 at 6:01 AM
FLINT, MI — A family has set its sights, and its entrepreneurial spirit, on rebuilding Flint, starting with the makeover of Center City Plaza with a string of stores and plans for more.
The April 14 grand opening of TCB Sweets & Treats candy store in the Center City Plaza, 3615 N. Saginaw St. in Flint, is just a small part of Keith Bennett's personal master plan to build up the city of Flint.
Bennett is no stranger to challenges. The 52-year-old Flint native spent five years as the director of security for the Federal Emergency Management Agency in New Orleans.
"When I came back to Flint, I saw that Flint needed help in this area. So we decided that, me and my wife, we were gonna come over here and be a part of rebuilding the city."
Purchasing the Center City Plaza in November of 2013, Bennett decided he would open several stores and let a different family member own and operate each one.
The first store to open in November was the thrift store Neat Repeats. Run by Bennett's daughter Dakeitha Bennett, 22, she said the community is responding well to it.
"We have plenty of repeat customers. We have new people coming in every day. We have lots of people starting out and they can get everything that they need for their home in our store for much better prices than anywhere else. It's been great that way," she said.
Getting TCB Sweet & Treats to open was no easy task. One of the store's owners, Clyde Barnett II, 44, said that family members did all the rehabbing on the store themselves. "It took a lot of hard work and determination. Everything that you see, we actually did, from the floor to the ceiling tiles." Barnett's wife Tasha Barnett and daughter Sosha Barnett, 19, all of Flint, co-own and run the candy store with him.
"The community deserves something nice. We're thinking about the comeback of Flint, a sweet comeback is what I was telling my wife. What's sweeter than a candy store? This area over here is somewhere where the children can go to get some candy and not have to go to a party store to get it. A candy store is what they deserve," said Clyde Barnett.
A setback occurred when scrappers stole the wiring in the building in December 2013. According to Bennett, the re-wiring cost him $160,000 out of pocket and set the opening of the candy store back three months.
TCB Sweet & Treats was finally able to open its doors Monday with a ribbon-cutting presentation and visit from Flint Mayor Dayne Walling.
"I'm excited to see the success of these new small businesses in the Center City Plaza. We know that there are high-traffic counts on Saginaw Street and there's a major opportunity for more consumer retail services in this area. I think these businesses are in the right place and they're going to be successful," Walling said. "This plaza's being revitalized in a unique way. It's a comprehensive approach to meeting the neighborhood's needs through a variety of small businesses. It's a unique approach that's family and community oriented."
The candy ranges in price from 2-cent candies to gourmet taffy shipped from Salt Lake City, Utah, at $7.99 per pound in 17 exotic flavors, including red velvet cake, green apple caramel cheesecake, butter popcorn and strawberry cheesecake. The store also includes older candies like Sixlets, Chick-O-Sticks and candy cigarettes. Other items like pop, chips and candy bars are also available.
"So a little kid can walk in here with just a quarter and walk out with 12 pieces of candy and that's rare in these times," said Clyde Barnett.
"I'm sure it will make the children in the neighborhood really happy with the very low prices and just being able to go out their street and not walk very far to purchase things and something nice in the area," said Tasha Barnett.
She said the store also specializes in candy bouquets for weddings, centerpieces for birthdays, any kind of holiday basket. In addition, the store will have balloons and greeting cards available soon.
"It all came together and it was a lot of work, but it was worth it. We can help you celebrate any special occasion," said Sosha Barnett, 19, a health care administration student at UM-Flint.
Next month, Bennett plans to open the men and women's apparel store called Off Beat Men and Women's Apparel as well as Sacred Grounds Coffee Shop. Every store will be family-owned.
There is also room for a restaurant that Bennett said will include a meat market where customers can pick their meat and take it home or have it cooked right there. Additionally, Bennett plans on tearing down the abandoned houses behind the plaza to build a playground for neighborhood children.
"It's definitely gonna help the community because it's gonna let the people know that something positive is happening in their area," said Bennett.
He said the plaza will be secure because he owns a security company, Bennett Workforce & Security Services. "So what it's gonna do for the area is it's gonna give the people a place to come where they feel comfortable."
Bennett said that Off Beat will have low-priced clothing, for instance, the women's dresses will range from $10-$50.
"One of the reasons why we're doing this is to be able to get people things that they wouldn't normally be able to buy. We want the people to be able to have nice things in this area cause it's a low-income area," said Bennett.
The Barnett family plans on opening two more candy stores throughout the city — one on the East Side and one of the South Side.
TCB Sweets & Treats is located in the Center City Plaza, 3615 N. Saginaw St., and is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. |
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Sat Apr 19, 2014 12:56 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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| This plaza was once owned by Fred Speed and Speed's Electric. When I worked for the city I was advised that a loan to Speed through the Flint Area Investment Fund operated by Community Capital Development Corporation (Flint Area Economic Corporation) (federal funding) for 1515 N. Saginaw also allowed some federal monies to be spent on 3615. Both projects failed. |
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Sat Apr 19, 2014 1:01 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Instrument: 200303280048075 Volume Page:
Recorded: 3/28/2003 1:38:49 PM Prepared: 03/27/03 Mailed: Pages: 6
Document Type: MORTGAGES Interest: Consideration: 192000
Grantor: SPEED, FREDERIC
Grantee: FLINT AREA INVESTMENT FUND INC
Notes:
Legal Description: Sub: GEORGE E POMEROYS ADDITION, Lt: 1, City Code: 54, Remark: PT OF / Sub: GEORGE E POMEROYS ADDITION, Lt: 2, City Code: 54, Remark: PT OF / Sub: GEORGE E POMEROYS ADDITION, Lt: 7, City Code: 54, Remark: PT OF |
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Sat Apr 19, 2014 1:09 pm |
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