WESTBARD: You'll Tell Two Friends, and They'll Tell Two Friends, and so on and so on ...

Dear Westbard Friends:

Thank you for signing the Westbard Giant Boycott Petition.

We have reached over 100 supporters already.

Please help me push that number over 250+ -- please share this petition widely (share buttons are available on the petition page), or simply send the petition link to your community friends. 

Here's the boycott petition link: https://chn.ge/2LclyVC

This boycott makes no sense unless we have many participants; Westbard Giant needs to "feel the pinch" in order to take action. 

I cannot do this without your support and your email "forwards" to friends!

(and PLEASE patronize the other Westbard stores that week - we do not want to harm any of the small stores)

Remember - this is a ONE WEEK BOYCOTT of the Westbard Giant from Sept.. 3rd - Sept. 9th - which aims to "encourage" Giant to demand a better parking plan from Regency under pressure from Giant's loyal customers(YOU!)

This boycott is “medicinal” in nature – i.e., curing Giant of the fantasy that Giant is merely a helpless, by-stander tenant who can do nothing to help residents.  As the anchor tenant for the proposed development, Giant has the power to push Regency in ways that mere residents cannot. 

For background:  This summer, residents discovered that Regency intends to drastically slash available parking capacity at the shopping center … at the same time as Regency increases residential square feet of development in the Phase I and II development area by more than 1500%.  Since neither Regency nor MoCo planners are motivated to rectify this parking plunge, residents turned to Giant, the anchor tenant, for help.  Many emails were exchanged with Giant’s Vice President to implore Giant to help residents pressure Regency to improve the parking plans at the new development (read some of the emails at this link).

Unfortunately, Giant repeatedly declines to actively help residents, and Giant simply maintains that Giant will discuss parking problems with Regency.  No more discussion!  This plan, as is, will be approved this Fall, 2018, and Regency will be free to slash parking capacity, at-will, once Regency receives approval for its development.  Time is running out – and Giant, the well-established and powerful anchor tenant, MUST help residents pressure Regency to improve its future parking plans NOW.   

This is a ONE WEEK Giant boycott - the boycott is not meant to cripple Giant's sales - but rather to show Giant what happens when customers get fed up.  Giant will survive one week of depressed sales; and so there's no guilt here.

We need to get serious about what options we have left to influence the development, namely:  

1. The lawsuit appeal; and

2. Pressuring Giant to help to residents.

Over the summer, many local groups filed their comments - and the planners also provided formal comments back to Regency.  It's literally anyone's guess which problems will ultimately be addressed.  You can read some of the most detailed filed comments which are all linked here:  https://bit.ly/2w1WYC8

Please join me in this easy boycott.  

Yes, it is a small sacrifice of inconvenience for one week of shopping trips (Sept. 3rd – 9th)– but we have nothing to lose here.  This is an untried avenue, and it’s time to see what can happen.  It won’t be a success unless people start signing.

ALSO – if this petition asks you for monetary support … DO NOT PAY a thing … that is the change.org website trying to get money - DO NOT PAY a dime to sign!

Please help me get more signatures today … you can promote it by email and Facebook posts; that would really help.

Forward this email!  Let’s make this happen – we can all make a one week sacrifice and it won’t be too hard with Safeway and Whole Foods and Downtown Bethesda Giant in the vicinity.

In solidarity and thanksgiving for your untiring support of all things Westbard, 

Tricia