Akan Davis knows he faces an uphill battle to establish a used-car dealership in Greensboro’s historic, but struggling, Benbow Park community.
Davis, a 22-year car-sales veteran, hopes to open his business on a vacant 0.43-acre lot at the corner of Martin Luther King Drive and South Benbow Road. His goal, he said, is to help the local community and to tap into Greensboro’s promising market. The City Council will decide on his rezoning request at Tuesday’s meeting.
He faces opposition, however, from both the Benbow Park Community Association, a group that has worked to clean up eyesores and gain a historical designation for the neighborhood, and from District 1 Councilwoman Sharon Hightower.
“It’s not the kind of business that the community needs on that corner,” Hightower told the News & Record. “Even with what he proposes — helping people with lower interest rates, on-site financing and insurance — what will it look like in two years? If you go one or two blocks beyond the site, you will see a couple of places that have already become a repair place or a drop-off car lot.”
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Davis says he’s being prejudged.
“A lot of used-car dealerships are slums,” he admitted. “But I’m not going to do business that way. When you look at my facility, you’re going to know I’m serious about what I do.”
He said he’s worked at a franchise dealership in High Point, and now operates in a temporary location a few blocks from the open lot. He claims to have brought with him a customer base of 200 to 300 people.
“Everybody isn’t going to be able to buy a 2020, or a car that is worth $20,000-plus, because they’re not able to get loans,” Davis said. “I’m one of the local hometown dealers that not only has the customers, but also the inventory because of the customers. ... I have something to offer this community that others don’t.”
The corner lot currently is zoned as commercial-low. Davis is asking for conditional district-commercial-medium zoning, which he said would give his business ample space.
Sidney Evans,(Information has been changed to correct an error. See correction at bottom of story. 11:30 a.m. July 19, 2023) president of the community association, says the group’s biggest concern with Davis’ business is environmental in nature.
“You’re going to have cars up there that are going to be leaking,” Edmunds said. “There are three adjoining residents whose properties might be contaminated with petroleum. It’s not going to be Mr. Davis’ fault; it’s just the business he’s in.”
Several close neighbors of the open lot are either indifferent to Davis’ request or supportive.
“As long as there’s a fence up between us, it’s alright,” said Rico Garner, whose property is an immediate neighbor of the corner lot. Garner says that he wants to see Davis make good on his promise, and mentioned that Davis had offered some elderly residents cars free of charge.
Kareesa Stewart, who has lived on Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. for 10 years, admires Davis’ ambition to start and operate a business in the neighborhood.
“There’s not a lot of Black-owned businesses around here,” said Stewart. “If he’s willing to put his money into it, I think they should give the man a try.”