East Lake Superette

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The Texaco Super Deli is a gas station and convenience store at 421 Oporto-Madrid Boulevard North which has been owned and operated since 1990 by Ty Nguyen.

On August 17, 2007 customer Kathleen Bullard filed assault charges against Nguyen and his son Hieu. She claims he attacked her after she bought a bag of ice, mistakingly claiming that she stole it. He claims that she did steal the ice, and had done so before, and that when he confronted her, she took the first swing. The Nguyens are scheduled to appear at Birmingham Municipal Court on the charge September 25.

The incident was reported to the Birmingham City Council at their August 28 meeting, and a hearing was set for September 11. A boycott and picket line was organized outside the store on August 29 by Gwen Webb. The protests continued each day until the hearing, at which the Council voted unanimously to revoke Nguyen's business and liquor licenses.

The Council's determination that the business is a "public nuisance" was based on descriptions of mistreatment of customers by neighborhood residents and officers, by the number of reports of criminal activity at the store (most reported to police by Nguyen), and by a 2001 assualt charge to which Nguyen had pleaded guilty. The Council rejected the advice of City Attorney Tamara Johnson to wait until the criminal case had been heard before acting. The order to close was served on September 13.

On September 14, Jefferson County Circuit Judge Robert Vance granted a temporary restraining order blocking the city from closing the store, and will hear Nguyen's appeal on September 27, 2 days after the charges against the Nguyens will be heard in Municipal Court.

References

  • Bryant, Joseph D. (September 14, 2007). "North East Lake store to stay open on appeal." Birmingham News.
  • Singleton, William C. (September 11, 2007) "East Lake store closes after city serves order." Birmingham News.
  • Singleton, William C. (September 12, 2007) "Council revokes store's licenses." Birmingham News.
  • Singleton, William C. (September 11, 2007) "City to weigh license for embattled store." Birmingham News.
  • "Residents Speak Out On Behalf Of Texaco Owner." (September 12, 2007) WVTM-TV/MSNBC.
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