What Ever Happened to Village Gate Square? (Rochester, NY)

I've sent this to the local paper, but I doubt they will publish it. I will share it with you here, just in case, because the story should be told.

Today I took my son to Village Gate Square. You know Village Gate. The place where you say to your friends, "I'm going to Village Gate and they say, "Hey! Can we come with?"

We were looking forward to checking out Bop Shop Records, Ricky's Place, Far Out Vintage, and Comics, Etc. Three out of four were gone. In their places were construction cones and wilted caution tape. Active construction appeared to be going on with questionable safety.

When we wandered into Comics, Etc., a man in a white shirt appeared to be having a heated discussion with the men behind the counter. He was saying something about rent. I concluded that he was someone who might know what was going on, so when their conversation paused, I said, "Excuse me. What happened to Village Gate?"

He turned to me and smiled condescendingly. He told me that they were updating and would have many fine restaurants soon. He asked me who I was and I responded that I was a consumer who came to Village Gate specifically to find those shops that sold items not found anywhere else. It was home to artistic, creative, vintage, unique shops. Where had they gone? He smiled that smile again and spoke to me as if to a child, explaining that he needed his rent.  It occurred to me that he must be getting his rent if he could afford the major construction going on. He then turned to the men behind the counter and said that I must be a friend of theirs.

I could tolerate the condescension, but to say that I was expressing my opinion as a ruse? I got angry. Obviously, the men in the store denied it because I don’t know any of them. He turned to me again as I tried to explain why Village Gate had character and how it was a shame for it to be lost. He asked me if he should get rent. I felt an equally absurd question was in order so I asked him, “Are you an asshole?” To which he turned and stormed away saying he didn’t need to be insulted, which in Management language means, “Yes.” Was I wrong in calling him a name? Yes. I'm sorry I did it. But I wanted answers and was asking sincerely as a consumer and was getting blown off. Management should at least listen to what consumers are saying and be polite and informative. Asking if he should get paid rent is NOT a reasonable response.

Village Gate was home to the independent stores where you could find the unique and wonderfully eccentric – an extension of the artistic community. Now it will be aluminum and glass. How very sad.