“Something caught Manny Nemer’s eye one day as he was driving down Exchange Street to the coffee shop he opened 14 years ago. It was a wrecking crew that was in the process of razing Cosmopolitan Hair and Tanning salon, which sat only a few paces from his own businesses.”
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Something caught Manny Nemer’s eye one day as he was driving down Exchange Street to the coffee shop he opened 14 years ago.
It was a wrecking crew that was in the process of razing Cosmopolitan Hair and Tanning salon, which sat only a few paces from his own businesses.
I pulled into the parking lot to watch and I was thinking, ‘is that what you’re going to do to my building? I’d rather not be around.’
Nemer, who owns Manny’s pub and Aroma Coffee, is one of two businessmen that have yet to sell their properties after the University of Akron was approved to use eminent domain in August, to acquire land in order to build an on-campus football stadium.
Manny said he is determined not to let his establishments – Manny’s Pub, Aroma Coffee & Tea and Chopstix Resturaunt – meet the same fate that Cosmopolitan did.
In an attempt to raise more awareness for his, and other small businesses’ faced with eminent domain cases, Nemer and his staff organized an all day event this Friday at Manny’s Pub.
The event starts with Manny’s March at 2:30 at his Pub on Exchange Street. They plan to march to the Student Union and end up back at the bar for a celebration.
Nemer hopes the attention gained from the protest will help save his property.
I’m doing whatever I can to save myself and save my business, Nemer said. That’s all I’m trying to do. I worked hard for it and I earned it the hard way.
For someone who emigrated from Lebanon as a 16-year-old boy with $6 in his pocket, it’s hard to believe that Nemer could turn down the $1,048,000 that UA offered him. Manny said it just isn’t enough for him to even consider.
Nemer, however, said the situation extends beyond money.
We just want to let the university and the city know that eminent domain is abused, Nemer said. All this march is for is friendly, peaceful cooperation. We just want to be a part of the university.
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” #1.1361060:866656274.png:20080417_mannyspub_gk2.png:Drinks are enjoyed at Manny’s Pub on Exchange Street, soon to be taken by eminent domain.:”