MRH Opposition to QuikTrip Move Sparks Storm of Comments

Late Wednesday afternoon, Maplewood Richmond Heights Board of Education President Maria Langston sent out , opposing a move from its current spot on Big Bend Boulevard to the northwest corner of Big Bend and Manchester, where Auto Plaza Ford is currently located.

Patch published the letter Thursday, and the comments flowed on Patch and the Maplewood-Brentwood Facebook page all day long. Most commenters agreed with Langston.

A poll at the bottom of the letter showed 104 votes supporting Langston, while 13 disagreed and 15 said a move would be a small problem.

Those comments, up to last Thursday night, are shown below.

The first commenters support leaving QuikTrip at its current location:

Nathan Barger: Its fine where it is.

Kristen Fox Smelser: I think it's a terrible idea. Stay where your at QT.

Kate Valleroy: I love qt ...they should stay where they are!

Sandra Shawcross Richason: I agree. They need to stay where they are.

Kevan Fruendt: QT is just fine where they are.

Lynn Hollis: QT should stay where they are!!!

Angel Goldberg: NO! Please don't move there.

Mary Kunce: terrible, terrible, terrible idea!

Stefano Sommer: This is a horrid idea. Just think of rush hour, let alone the impact for the school.

Jesus Zimmerman: And what's to come of quick trips current location? another empty eye sore like the one across the street.

Jonathan Taylor: If this idea wore pants, they would be Bad Idea Jeans.

Jim Ford: It's a terrible idea. Who needs more traffic tie ups & accidents at Manchester and Big Bend. It's a major north/south by-way to reach 40-64. Who needs bigger headaches going to work! Leave QT where it is!!

Pat Maloney (Wilken): I want to know why they want to move a couple of blocks North. They are very busy where they are at, and they have added additional pumps, and made it bigger in the last few years.....so why not stay there. It's not like they are losing any business. If they are across the street from Shell, they would probably put them out of business, and there goes another small business in Maplewood. And all that is in addition to the safety concerns. I too, have seen many problems at school time, with the kids trying to cross that intersection. They need to stay where they are at.

Julie Francois: No - that would put way too much at an already busy intersection. The number of cars going to and from CVS and QT would be crazy. I already think the city should require CVS to restrict what direction people can turn into and out of that corner (similar to what Clayton did with Walgreens at the corner of Big Bend and Clayton Rd). The restrictions would help reduce accidents. I can't imagine the number of accidents that would occur if both CVS and QT are there! No amount of restrictions would help that.

Romona Taylor Williams: Of course they should oppose it. The move will negatively impact the School Board's revenue stream. The businesses get tax credit incentives, suck the life out of them and move on to more fertile ground leaving vacant properties in communities. By all means oppose the relocation or make QT pay back the tax credits!!!

Tonya Powell: QT is a great place to buy gas and grab a gallon of milk or my favorite sweet tea. HOWEVER, adding the tremendous amount of traffic QT attracts to that intersection is unsafe for our student pedestrians and irresponsible. That intersection is already dangerous - especially in the mornings when our kids are walking to school. It's too much for the area to handle safely. We have had too many near misses adn instances where kids are "bumped" by cars trying to beat the light or ignoring the poor crossing guard who takes her life in her hands every time she comes to work.

My kids and their friends walk past the current QT now and they have learned to give it a wide berth because too many morning drivers are unfocused, inattentive and more concerned with their cell phones and hot coffee than they are the kids walking to shcool. Adding the heavy traffic at Big Bend and Manchester will multiply the danger tenfold - at least. It is simply irresponsible to even consider it.

I love QT. I give them a trmendous amount of business. But I don't need my kids getting hit by a beer truck trying to get to school. it's too much traffic for that intersection. The city is already allowing a CVS at the opposite corner.

BTW - MRH schools get a small piece of the property tax money - Sales tax goes to the Statewide system for distribution across Missouri. So yes, QT is a great corporate citizen but MRH schools aren't the primary beneficiary.

I just don't think we need every high traffic business that wants to be in Maplewood at the same intersection. Where do you think the cars that need to go North or East after their purchase are going to go? They can't get to a light easily (unlike QT's current location) so they are going to cut through the small neighborhood streets where our busses load and unload and even more kids are walking.

Mormit: No problem seeing the poll results. Everyone's against it because it is a bad idea. There is simply too much congestion at that intersection. I buy most of my gas at the current QT because I like the store and it at a good location. If QT moves to the NE corner, it will be easier for me to continue a few blocks North and go to Phillips 66.

A few wrote in favor of the QuikTrip move, however:

Alexander Winkey Winkleman: Because students can't walk to the Seven-11 and the that are just as close to the school? Not to mention the liquor store. And it's not like nobody can walk to QT where it is. They would just move one block.

Dave Patterson: QT is a great corporate citizen! They've paid huge money in taxes to the MRH School District. And this is the thanks they get? Let them move forward with the project. They'll bring Maplewood into the new century.

Timothy Grosch: qt will most likely improve the intersection add better lighting and always does its best to keep crime down around it stores.

Roger G: I think the Board of Education should stick to education.