A McMath student is petitioning to keep one of Richmond’s oldest 7 Eleven stores from closing.
Sixteen-year-old Sage Laing started the petition titled "Keep Steveston 7/11" on April 10 and it has since garnered over 600 signatures from community members to keep the Steveston Highway and No. 1 Road store open.
Laing told the Richmond News that a store employee said the 7 Eleven will close on April 22 due to an increase in rent.
“I’m hoping the landlord will see (the petition) and reconsider their thoughts on tripling the rent,” said Laing.
“We’re just sad to see stores like this 7 Eleven, which has been in Steveston for so long, have to close. It just changes the neighbourhood so much.”
The store, said Laing, has been around since her mom’s time and is a shop that is "part of everyone's childhood."
It’s going to affect the community a lot because so many people go there,” said Laing, adding that it has helped many people in the middle of the night including a friend of theirs.
“A friend of ours had a nosebleed and there were no other stores of pharmacies open and thankfully this store was open to help us.”
She added that the workers have always been “so nice and efficient” despite having to deal with the teenagers around.
“Props to these workers who are working late at night and keeping their cool while still being so nice to the rowdy teenagers that come in.”
