Disapproval of YFC tactics

To the editor:

As the owner of Leelanau Goods in Fishtown, my storefront looks directly at the building where Apollo Properties and Youth for Christ are seeking a special land use permit to create a youth ministry. In a small downtown like Leland, that visibility matters. Businesses depend on one another. People don’t come to shop at just one store; they come for an experience. They walk Main Street, wander up Harbor Square, and eventually make their way over to the docks of Fishtown, supporting multiple local businesses in a single visit.

That is precisely why the area is zoned commercial. The intent is clear: to sustain a thriving small business district that supports local entrepreneurs and the broader village economy.