New convenience store planned for 9th and Maud, but some residents concerned

Poplar Bluff is getting a new convenience store in the near future after the former Hogg’s Supermarket building at Ninth and Maud streets recently was purchased by new owners.

“It will be a convenience store with a little bit of everything, except alcohol,” new owner Madhu Kikani said last week.

The new 3,000-square-foot store, Kikani said, will be named “Jay’s Corner Store” and is expected to open in the next couple weeks.

“Hopefully, we will open Jan. 1,” he said.

Kikani also currently is working on opening a similar Jay’s Corner Store at 1040 S. Broadway.

The Ninth Street location, said City Clerk Nevada Young, is zoned C-1, which is designated as “neighborhood commercial. C-1 was set up years ago when every neighborhood had a corner store.”

Under the C-1 designation, alcohol sales will not be permitted at the new location.

“They can sell retail products there, but they cannot get a liquor license,” Young said.

“We wanted to sell alcohol, but the city didn’t allow us to sell that,” said Kikani.

Not everyone, however, is happy about the new store moving in.

Diana Collard, who owns two houses adjacent to the property, addressed the city council about her concerns during its Dec. 7 meeting.

“I live next door to this building. My cousin lives diagonally across the street, and I also speak for her. We are quite concerned about this business moving into our neighborhood for several reasons,” Collard told council members.

Collard told the council the location is a school bus stop, and there “is inadequate parking for this kind of business.”

Young said it was her belief the fence currently surrounding the property would be taken down, making for easier access to the parking area.

Collard also was concerned about potential hours of operation.

“If they hold hours other than in the day, it will be a disruption to the quality of the neighborhood,” she said.

Council members listened to Collard’s comments but did not address the concerns during the Dec. 7 meeting.