Mary's Sunshine Dairy was the forerunner of the more current version of a Genesee County party store. Almost from the start they were victims of robbery. Arthur tells the true crime story of one of the most sensational robbery-murders in Genesee County history, It was a triple murder execution style in the sleepy bedroom community of Flushing, Michigan. Party stores have become the focus of community outrage, upset and protest at times over the past 40 years. Mary's Sunshine Dairy was an iconic chain of local "Party" stores in the Flint, Michigan community. They were ahead of their time. The local chain was a version of a mini-grocery store and sold what "drug stores" sold with party supplies, candy and drinks. They were a place to drive-in and get a gallon of milk and a six-pack of beer and be on your way in 3 minutes or less. The chain stores seemed to attract customers that love to hangout, sell dope and guns, trade food stamps for wine and beer and engage in serious violent crimes. Arthur also recounts a case he handled in which the United States Secret Service conducted a "sting" operation by busting the owners of a Flint party store, King Ave Party Store and then operating the store as clerks selling beer, wine and grocery items. The result was the arrest and prosecution of 130 people. This episode should give pause to the role of Party Stores in a blue collar community and whether they tend to be magnets for crime and violence. If you like storytelling and true crime you will love this podcast. Here is an article about Dollar stores as being the newest version of the Party store. It details the disturbing trend for these places to attract violence and crime. https://www.propublica.org/article/how-dollar-stores-became-magnets-for-crime-and-killing?fbclid=IwAR0Kc7VLxyWzbawrcq4U0n70lOG_7UV2AegzTaCIJvOUW1Wtz1_PzxDhyRY#970051 Here is the most recent version of killing at a Flint Party Store to prove the point of the article above applies to the Flint area. https://www.abc12.com/content/news/Customer-shot-in-Flint-liquor-store-after-attacking-security-guard-570551281.html Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/radio-free-flint/id1506799868 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0RNwie9IEMX57kFlBklL1A Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy8xODBkODQ5Yy9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw==--- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/radiofreeflint/message
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