Meanwhile, back in my hometown

Happy Thursday! We’re going to have a little fun today at the expense of big corporations.

About a week ago, I noticed two things while driving through Inverness: Aldi’s replacing the Winn-Dixie sign at the store on S.R. 44, and a sign announcing another quick oil-change place next to the ABC liquor store.

Well, that’s two significant business additions to my hometown, so I made a note to mention it. I did that Thursday, posting an innocent photo of the Valvoline Instant Oil Change sign on the vacant corner lot at C.R. 581.

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With this simple caption: “I was just thinking today how Inverness could really use another quick oil change place.  I often wondered what would fit on that vacant corner lot next to ABC. Now we know. Welcome to my hometown, Valvoline Global Operations!”

And went on with my day.

Well, as we know, certain types of businesses are wearing out their welcome in Citrus County. Among them: Car washes, storage units, and quick oil-change places.

Sure enough, readers responded with sarcasm and disbelief. 

“I guess the space was too small for a storage building!” one person wrote.​

The Valvoline sign is now gone after the city said there are no permits.

Then I got a call from City Manager Eric Williams. He hadn’t seen the post, but someone told him about it. Turns out, not only did Valvoline’s representatives erect the sign without permission, but they also don’t even have an application with the city for the business itself.

As if someone just showed up and planted a sign in the ground.

City officials told the property manager that the sign violated city code and ordered it removed. It is now gone.

While we were talking, the Aldi subject came up. Looks like Aldi jumped the gun as well.

Aldi is taking over the former Winn-Dixie across Montgomery Avenue from Publix. Aldi apparently couldn’t wait to shower Inverness with groceries, so it replaced the sign and started work inside the store — all without permits.

The City sent letters of violation to a Nashville, Tennessee, company that is doing the work for Aldi.

“Demolition work is occurring in the building without a permit being paid for and issued,” the violation letter states. “There are exposed wires where kiosks were removed and out of cut conduits. The fire alarm has been compromised, all while people and children were inside the building.”

The City shut down work and red-tagged the building.

It’s not just a new sign and inside demo work. Aldi doesn’t plan to utilize the entire building, so something else is coming in there as well. 

I gotta say, not thrilled that two corporations can waltz into my hometown and act like local rules don’t count. Seems a little arrogant.

Eric was pretty nice about it. He said these things happen, and Aldi especially just needs to get its permit work straight.

As for the Valvoline, those folks now have an image issue. Eric spoke with the company’s reps about the uphill climb to permit an oil-change business on a tight piece of property. A pessimistic public doesn’t help.

No great shakes. I just found it interesting.

— The Citrus County Commission meets today. Nothing on the agenda grabs my attention, which practically guarantees a major story coming from the meeting. That’s how these things often pan out.

Have a great Thursday, friends.

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