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Sharpton visits city to support Johnson
Says the Community Pride chain must succeed, suggests racism could be a factor in its demise
BY GREGORY J. GILLIGAN
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER
Mar 28, 2004
A national civil-rights activist pledged support yesterday to beleaguered inner-city supermarket owner Johnny Johnson in his effort to save his business.
The Rev. Al Sharpton showed up in Richmond and promised to look into the causes of the retailer's financial demise, suggesting racial discrimination might have played a role.
"We did not come here for a funeral . . . but we came here for a resurrection," the Democratic presidential candidate said.
Calling Johnson a national symbol of minority entrepreneurship because he was once the country's largest minority grocer, Sharpton told a crowd of about 150 people that Johnson's four stores must succeed.
"We are not going around the country saying Johnny Johnson failed," Sharpton said. "We are going to do what we have to do to keep Community Pride open. Our pride is at stake."
Sharpton attended a community rally organized by Johnson and his supporters at his chain's The Market at Tobacco Row grocery store.
Among those attending were Richmond Mayor Rudolph C. McCollum Jr., City Manager Calvin D. Jamison, Vice Mayor Delores L. McQuinn and state Sen. Henry W. Marsh III, D-Richmond.
The chain's workers and others pumped up the crowd by singing Sister Sledge's popular tune "We Are Family."
"We are not going to give up today," said Jim Lackovitch, the retailer's executive vice president and chief operating officer. "This is just the beginning of our fight."
Johnson's Marketplace Holdings Inc. either must sell The Market at Tobacco Row and its three Community Pride stores soon or face closing them, his lawyer has said.
His company owes money to its largest supplier, grocery distributor Supervalu Inc. Supervalu did not deliver some merchandise about 10 days ago because Johnson was in default on its payment, the lawyer has said.
Supervalu spokeswoman Lynne High said she could not comment on yesterday's rally or on Sharpton's remarks.
"We have worked very hard with Johnny to help him with his business operations," she said.
Johnson declined comment after yesterday's rally about the fate of his chain. He referred questions to celebrity lawyer Johnnie L. Cochran Jr., who did not return repeated phone calls.
Sharpton said he wants to get to the bottom of why Johnson's company is having problems.
"There are people who try to put a ceiling on how high we can go," Sharpton said. "This is about achieving the American dream. If Johnny Johnson can't make it, then the American dream can't make it."
Sharpton told the crowd that Johnson built up his business "the hard way" and did not ask for handouts or favors.
But he failed to mention that grocery wholesale distributor Richfood Holdings Inc. - which was sold to Supervalu in 1999 - floated much of the money in 1992 used to buy the initial stores, which Johnson has since paid off. And Johnson got financial assistance from a foundation created by the Ukrop's Super Markets Inc. chain.
Sharpton stopped short of blaming Supervalu for Johnson's problems, saying corporate America is trying to dismantle minority businesses from the boardrooms.
"I deserve a fair and equitable opportunity for entrepreneurship," Johnson told the crowd. "The color of my skin should not make a difference."
Sharpton claims Johnson must pay more for private label products from his grocery supplier than other chains such as Ukrop's.
"Something doesn't smell right to me," Sharpton said. Also, Sharpton suggested Supervalu interfered in Johnson's plans to purchase the Camellia Food Stores chain of 18 stores in Hampton Roads last year. Marketplace Holdings filed a lawsuit against Camellia Foods after the deal fell through. "It is illegal for people to try to force someone out of business," Sharpton said after the rally.
He expects it will take a month or more to complete his investigation.
Contact Gregory J. Gilligan at (804) 649-6379 or ggilligan@timesdispatch.com