YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio -- A consortium of small business owners along the South Avenue corridor are calling for a unified effort to drive crime from the neighborhoods and create a more productive environment so these businesses can flourish.

The South Avenue Business Association will meet Jan. 21 at the Metro Assembly Church at 10 a.m., the group announced this week. All businesses on or around South Avenue are welcome to attend.

Last week, Abdullah Mahdi, the owner of Reemas Fashion Shop at the Crim's Corner Plaza on South Avenue was shot and killed during a gunfire exchange inside his store.

"It's important that businesses continue to work together, as they did in the 'clean sweep' that took place in late summer," the group said in a statement. "The recent homicide at a South Avenue business only serves as a motivation for this group to join together in hopes of helping to prevent such a tragedy from happening again."

David Turner of First Energy is scheduled to be the guest speaker at the January meeting. Employees of Walgreens and Coca-Cola are among those planning to attend, according to organizers.

Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
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