To the Editor:

I am saddened by the anger that is being directed toward a proposed new Papa John’s franchise business that wants to open in what has been a vacant storefront space in Fields Corner.

But, at last week’s Fields Corner Civic Association Meeting (FCCA), there was angry opposition directed against the owners of the restaurant, who appeared before the civic group to answer questions and seek a letter of support for their common victualler’s license, which I support. These business owners have followed all the rules. They have a strong resume and a history of offering great benefits to their employees and being supportive neighbors. A minority-owned business, they created an ownership program that serves to bridge the gap in opportunity for minority employees and managers. In spite of this, they were greeted with hostility, including from Fields Corner Main Street, an organization dedicated to supporting community-focused businesses.

The level of emotion directed toward the owners of this Papa John’s restaurant at the FCCA meeting was something I had not seen before.

Some opposed the idea because owners “are not from here,” and – therefore – are not trustworthy. Some argued against it because it does not, they say, serve a community need and is not “additive.”

But we should not have different rules and different standards for this business. We should be welcoming new businesses even when the owners are people we do not know. New investment is important in any community. We should be giving these owners the same chance that so many others have been given.

When Bobby Sherman opened HiFi Pizza decades ago, no one in the community knew Bobby. Today, Brian Chavez is applauded for keeping the tradition of HiFi Pizza alive.

When my wife Wendy and I started running our businesses in Fields Corner, we were also “unknowns.” After almost 10 years and 28 years, respectively, we are proud to work in Fields Corner. We support our neighbors, other businesses, and local non-profits. We want the entire business community to thrive.

There are at least four bubble tea businesses in Fields Corner. Two of these are franchises. Yet, the community welcomed them. I do not recall there being any opposition because we were letting “outsiders” compete with “local” business owners or that these new bubble tea businesses were not additive.

If our community does not want Papa John’s, then they have a powerful tool at their disposal: their wallets. Every day, each of us votes with our wallets by deciding where we spend our money.

The Papa John’s owners hired local contractors and spent over $500k on renovating the storefront. No one who spoke out against their application gave any consideration for the financial pain this would cause if the restaurant is not allowed to open. And, of course, there’s the message a denial would send to other businesses thinking about opening in this community. 

We do not want to have a reputation of being unwelcoming to businesses. If that happens, then we end up with empty store fronts and all the negative consequences that come with them, such as more crime.

We should be better than this.

Alan Issokson, H. Levenbaum Companies