Unlikely Alliance Backs Mexican Grocery Store

Political activists who generally land on opposing sides of every issue found themselves in the same camp Friday, urging the Anaheim City Council to grant a liquor license to Gigante market and denouncing city opposition as biased and unwarranted.

The city Planning Commission’s denial of the Mexican supermarket chain’s application “is absolutely inappropriate and smacks of racism and racial profiling,” said Nativo Lopez, co-director of Hermandad Mexicana Nacional, an organization that assists Spanish-speaking immigrants.

“I might not use those same words [but] I share the same sentiment,” said Curt Pringle, a former Republican speaker of the state Assembly and one of five candidates for mayor in November.

The council will be asked Tuesday to overturn the Planning Commission’s action, which store officials said would kill its chances for profitability. Gigante wants to open its first Orange County market at Anaheim Plaza.

Pringle said he was drawn to Gigante’s side because government should not be telling businesses where and how to operate. “This issue has united individuals and organizations with diverse viewpoints around the basic American principle of property rights [and] fairness,” he said.

Lopez said the city is attempting social engineering and creating invalid reasons to deny the license.

In an Oct. 23 letter, Elisa Stipkovich, executive director of the city’s redevelopment agency, said city staffers wanted a different store in Anaheim Plaza, one that would attract a “wider demographic” base of customers. Last month, planning commissioners said the high-crime area is saturated with stores selling alcohol.

Other speakers urging the city to welcome Gigante were Amin David of Los Amigos of Orange County; John Palacio of the League of United Latin American Citizens; Rick Eiden, director of organizing for the United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 324.