Mayoral candidate challenges city’s position on Roses retailer

ALBANY — Mayoral candidate Henry Mathis said Saturday a recent news conference called by Albany City Commissioner Jon Howard and attended by other local officials and a couple of pastors concerning conditions of the Roses shopping complex left a misleading taste in his and other citizens’ mouths, so much so he contacted corporate officials with the department store.

Mathis said what he found out was far different than what was discussed at the news conference.

“I don’t think anything was cleared up at that press conference; in fact, I think it confused the issue more,” Mathis said. “I’ve heard people since (the conference) complain about Roses, talking about how they treat their customers and employees. What they don’t get, and what I think needs to be cleared up, is that Roses is only a tenant at that location. I don’t know if city officials have even talked to the owner of the property, but that’s who is responsible for the upkeep of the building.

“Roses is doing the right thing. I talked with the general manager, and he pointed out some things that the people of Albany need to be aware of.”

Things like, Mathis said, the fact that even though the department store has been closed now for the better part of a month, the 60 or so local employees of the retailer are still getting paid.

“People say, ‘Roses is this or that,’” Mathis said, “but the fact is that even though they are not making any money, they are still paying their local employees. The only problem with Roses is that there is no air conditioning. And their management has assured me that, while they can’t give a clear timetable right now, they plan to re-open as soon as a new transformer is installed and is operating.”

Officials with Roses’ corporate office would not talk directly with The Albany Herald about the east Albany store, but officials with the company told Mathis they had no problem with him sharing what they had discussed.

“Albany needs to be pro-business, at all costs,” Mathis said. “They need to do a better job of getting across to the public what’s really going on with our businesses. Roses stepped up to the plate; we shouldn’t be criticizing them when they are doing right by the people they employ.

“The Roses officials say they are going to bring the store back even better. They’ve been in Albany for 51 years, and they assured me they plan to maintain that presence in east Albany.”

Mathis, along with businessman Omar Salaam, who ran in 2019, and Antonio Screen Jr., have qualified to take on incumbent Albany Mayor Bo Dorough in the November mayoral race.

Staff Photo: Carlton Fletcher