[The following letter was sent to David Dillon, CEO of The Kroger Co. in Cincinnati, Ohio.]

This past Friday, I called your office and spoke with Pat Collins, your executive assistant, about the situation here in Peachtree City regarding Kroger’s inane decision to sublet the retail space of your existing Kroger near my home to Goodwill Industries.

Not only were you repeatedly offered escape from your lease by your landlord, Mr. Hooper, for absolutely NO penalty, but also, you repeatedly refused his offer. Your refusal to just quietly pack your bags and leave Peachtree Crossing Shopping Center for no cost certainly begs the question, Why?

I really already know the answer. Fear. It is simply fear. Fear that another grocery chain will move in to that space and compete with Kroger’s two other existing stores in Peachtree City.

Fear is a very strong emotion that usually causes even the most rational people to act so very unwisely, not even really thinking through the consequences of their actions. Armed robbers will murder for $20 for fear the clerk will identify them. A speeding motorist will flee the police risking his own life and that of countless others, all in the name of fear of the very minimal consequences of a speeding ticket compared with huge consequences of a possible vehicular homicide during a high-speed pursuit.

As children, we will boldly lie to parents and teachers, when we have been caught for some minimal trespass. And, oh yes, adults lie, too. Why? Because we fear the consequences of our actions. Terrorists commit the heinous of acts to instill fear, so that they can then control others. They know how strongly fear controls people.

And, Kroger is obviously no exception. You simply fear the very minimal economic consequences of a competitive grocery chain, possibly a Trader Joe’s or a Whole Foods, to move into the existing space that your store currently occupies. In my opinion, that fear is totally unfounded.

But, out of fear, you made a decision without any consideration to anyone except yourself (Kroger). Who cares about the current business owners whose blood, sweat and tears have gone into their small family businesses there in the Peachtree Crossing Shopping Center? You don’t.

The presence of a Goodwill Industries store adjacent to their business will be a malignant tumor. Those tenants of Peachtree Crossing are horrified by what you have done to them. The negative impact on their sales will be devastating. But, you know what? it won’t affect you, David, will it?

Who cares about the community of Peachtree City and the detrimental presence of a Goodwill store in that location? You don’t. It’s like a pair of brown shoes with a tuxedo. How incongruous a fit. It is so blatantly obvious. All you care about is yourselves.

Does the expression “biting the hand that feeds you” conjure up what is happening here? The Kedron Shopping Center Kroger (just a few miles north of the Kroger store that is closing) is the #1 producing Kroger in its respective region. The store does so well, you even have a wine steward to counsel and assist people with their wine purchases.

Now, David, tell me, who are the people who have made this, your flagship store, so successful? Why, it’s the people of Peachtree City. They are the ones who have made your Kroger store in Kedron Hills so prosperous.

So now, this is how you reward their patronage? Bring Goodwill Industries into town? Like I said, why don’t you just bite the hand that has been feeding you? You, Mr. Kroger, are ungrateful! And the fear you had of losing revenue over a competitor moving in to Peachtree Crossing will pale in comparison to the revenue I believe you are going to lose as a result of a surge of community response against Kroger by boycotting your two other stores here.

I myself will be one who will NOT be shopping with you if this proposed scenario plays out, and I will make a public invitation for the rest of Peachtree City to do likewise.

Competition is a good thing. Steel sharpens steel and a monopoly never benefited the public. So, now, David, here is what you have done out of fear. You have aroused the ire of an entire community against you. Do you really think this will have been worth it? Methinks not!

As Spiderman’s Uncle Ben told him, “With great power comes great responsibility.” David, you have the power as chief executive officer of Kroger. It is now time for you to act responsibly. Do now what you can to earn the respect of the citizens of Peachtree City. Do what is right, not what is expedient.

David Cree

Peachtree City, Ga.