7-11 heading to downtown

Style Weekly is reporting that a 7-11 will open up at 10th and Main, on the first floor of the American Heritage Building, by mid- to late October. I’m torn on this one. I love the idea of a good slurpee on a hot day but not such a big fan of chains. I think it will do well since nothing in that area but a few restaurants are open after 6. My favorite part of the story was the following exchange.

Some may not welcome the purveyor of mystery meats and giant sodas, but it will fill a niche downtown. It doesn’t even bother hot dog vendor Ed Claiborne, who’s operated a cart, Red Deluxe Hot Dogs, at 10th and Main streets for 10 years.

“It’s going to bring more people to the area,” he says, adding that he isn’t worried about the competition. “If you want a really good hot dog, that’s what I’m here for.”