Ann Lynch Don't Expand SA Records

Community action succeeded in preventing the expansion of a SuperAmerica gas station at the intersection of 40th St. and Lyndale Ave. S in the 1990s and early 2000s. Following SuperAmerica's acquisition of Twin Cities 7-Eleven stores in the late 1980s, SuperAmerica ran two gas stations at the intersection of 40th St. and Lyndale Ave. S. In the early 1990s, the gas station chain considered closing one store while expanding the other. When SuperAmerica purchased the house at 4008 Lyndale Ave. S (next to their 4000 Lyndale store), neighbors organized to prevent rezoning of the land and the expansion of SuperAmerica.

Ann Lynch, who lived next door at 4012 Lyndale Ave. S, was one of the driving forces behind the neighborhood's "Don't Expand SA" campaign. Lynch and other community members reached out to neighbors, government officials, members of the press, and SuperAmerica leadership voicing neighborhood opposition to the demolition of the house at 4008 Lyndale Ave. S, the rezoning of the parcel, and the expansion of the SuperAmerica location. Neighbors circulated petitions, held meetings, displayed yard signs reading "Don't Expand SA," and boycotted SuperAmerica.

While the house at 4008 Lyndale Ave. was demolished, the SuperAmerica store did not rebuild or expand. Instead, the gas station location closed in 2006. Thanks to the neighbors' actions, the city zoning code was amended to prevent gas stations and similar businesses from expanding into adjacent, differently-zoned lots.