Sweep Shuts Down Corner Store

Two weeks ago after a shot man stumbled into Fair Haven’s G‑Mart corner store and collapsed in a pool of blood, a city government crew swarmed in — and shut the business down based on health, labor, and safety violations. 

This visiting crew was composed of city government inspectors and top city officials looking to highlight code enforcement at the launch of a ​“corner store sweep” of the neighborhood.

The inspectors said they found a ​“number of violations” at G Mart and other corner stores in Fair Haven. They ordered the store shut down as a result.

The sweeps are focusing in on hot spot corner stores through the city that have caused neighborhood concern and a need for police presence. 

G‑Mart, at the corner of Ferry and Peck Streets, was the team’s first stop Friday and was inspected for nearly an hour.

The city issued a stop-work order that closed the business due to labor violations and ​“not properly paying taxes on cigarette sales,” Mayor Justin Elicker reported on site. 

The order stated that the business was in violation of misrepresenting employees as independent contractors, materially understating or concealing payroll, materially misrepresenting or concealing employees’ duties so as to avoid proper classification for calculations, and materially misrepresenting or concealing information pertinent to the computation and application of an experience rating modification factor. 

“We’re just looking for people to follow the law. and we want to make it really clear that we expect that,” Elicker said. 

During the Friday sweep, the fire department identified a safety hazard: an ice box outside G‑Mart that had a ​“melting” wire surrounded by flammable litter.

Other agencies participating in the sweep included the health department, building department, fire department, and police department, and the state departments of labor and revenue services.

G‑Mart owner Gazy Kaden locked the store’s doors and closed down shop around 10:30 a.m.

Before leaving and heading to a meeting with a lawyer to resolve the store issues, Kaden said he doesn’t blame the city or police department. 

“Every store in New Haven is the same, and you cannot fix it, either,” he said.

In addition to health violations, the store was said to be illegally selling loose cigarettes.

“These people don’t have money to buy the whole pack. How are they going to survive?” he responded to the allegations. 

Kaden said New Haven corner stores will continue to be a problem in neighborhoods like Fair Haven because of broader challenges stemming from poverty. 

“They don’t have no money,” he said of customers. ​“The only way you can help is to give money to these people. And that ain’t going to help either, because if you give them money. they’ll spend it in one week because they don’t have a plan. So God help me.”

He said the store has been robbed several times by customers retaliating against him for kicking them out for selling drugs or committing other offenses inside. ​“If they don’t listen, I cannot force. If I force, I’m dead.” 

In response to the labor violations issued by the city, Kaden said he has ​“tipped” regulars at the store for helping him out with work at times because they have refused to be officially put on the payroll. 

“He has mental issues, so I just try to help because I tried to put him on the payroll, but he doesn’t want to be on the payroll,” he said of one helper he pays. ​“I try to help, but now I get shut down.”

Kaden has owned the store for three years. It is ​“how I survive,” he said.

He said he is in contact with a lawyer to help resolve the labor issues and get back open soon. ​“It should not be long,” he said of the closure. 

Interim Police Chief Renee Dominguez and Elicker charged the police department’s neighborhood district managers with monitoring problem corner stores to create a list of ​“active areas.” 

Many of the corner stores’ owners work closely with the district mangers to report problems. 

Elicker said some storeowners want help from the city, while others don’t.

He said sweeps will continue randomly throughout neighborhoods in the city to address negative activity outside of corner stores and help businesses succeed at addressing health and safety concerns, Elicker said.

“The goal is clean and safe,” deputy Chief Administrative Officer Rebecca Bombero said on site.

The team of a dozen sweepers included State Rep. Alphonse Paolillo, Jr. and Alder Anna Festa. 

Festa declared the first stop of Friday’s sweep a success in holding neighborhood businesses accountable she said. 

“We have to keep the residents’ safety in mind,” she said.

Elicker added that the goal of the sweeps is to increase police presence at stores whether they want it or not. 

The sweeps will help avoid ​“hindering individuals who want to use that corner store legitimately,” Dominguez said. 

“This is about encouraging good behavior,” Elicker said.

Fair Haven Alder Sarah Miller has been active with neighbors in addressing problem businesses.

“Last fall, our neighbors took action to stop the harm caused by Grand Cafe, a business enabling violence and illegal activities,” she stated after Friday’s sweep. ​“I’m pleased that city officials are ramping up enforcement at other problem spots. This is a citywide problem and requires citywide solutions. We need both intensified enforcement action and legislative change, along the lines of municipal ordinances now on the books in Hartford, Atlanta, and elsewhere. We can require businesses to be good neighbors if they wish to operate here. We have a team working on legislative options now.”