Brotherhood Crusade Begins Group for Black-Run Stores

Carolyn Baker said she will no longer have to walk half a mile to buy half a gallon of milk. Terry Smith hopes to stop taking the bus downtown to buy produce. And China Thompson will not have to live next to an abandoned building.

Word that a vacant, dilapidated building in South-Central Los Angeles will be transformed into a clean, well-stocked convenience store with friendly workers brought approving nods Wednesday from residents, who complain often about poor conditions and service at neighborhood stores.

Leaders of the Brotherhood Crusade announced creation of a nonprofit arm called “Mom & Pop Economic Development Corp.,” which is slated to open its first store in May. They hope that the project will serve as a prototype for more inner-city stores.

“There has been a lot of talk of what other people should do when operating businesses in our community,” said Danny Bakewell, Brotherhood Crusade president. “But in the final analysis the future of our community rests with us.”

The announcement comes after a tumultuous year that has strained relations between Korean merchants and some black customers in South-Central. Bakewell led a summer-long boycott at one store where a black man, Arthur Lee Mitchell, was shot by a Korean-American liquor store owner. Bakewell and others continue to protest the case of Soon Ja Du, a Korean-born grocer, sentenced to probation for fatally shooting 15-year-old Latasha Harlins.

Black residents have long complained that they are treated rudely by Korean merchants in their neighborhoods. Merchants, in turn, are fearful about running stores in some of the city’s poorest communities.

Eric Wilson, a former Southern California district manager for Thrifty who is heading the venture, said prices will not gouge customers and the store will have a courteous atmosphere.

The South Broadway site is about two blocks east of the store where Harlins was shot.

Brotherhood Crusade, which bought the 2,500-square-foot building for $230,000, turned to black business leaders involved in the charitable organization to set up the nonprofit corporation that will run the store. Another $250,000 is being raised by the group to remodel the building, stock the store and hire employees.

According to Wilson, half the profits from the first store will be invested in the corporation to finance additional store partnerships and half will be given to the Brotherhood Crusade.