Where's the beef?

That was one slogan inscribed on a picket sign carried by one of about 35 protesters Tuesday in Akron's Highland Square.

The group had gathered in front of a space where they hope a new grocery store will be built in the West Akron neighborhood.

The protesters, many of whom were senior citizens, are upset that the retail development's owner, Albrecht Inc., has not yet found a grocer for the site.

The development firm is an Albrecht family-owned company, as is the F.W. Albrecht Gro cery Company that operates Acme Fresh Market stores in Northeast Ohio.

''We need this store so bad,'' said Cherie Odum, 60, who held the ''Where's the Beef'' sign, and who used to shop at the old Star Market in Highland Square.

The protest came as the grand opening of the new Highland Square Branch of the Akron-Summit County Public Library is set for Aug. 25.

Some of the protesters speculated that a grocery store has not opened there because the property owners do not want the grocery store competition.

But Joe Albrecht, manager of retail properties for Albrecht Inc., said there is no conspiracy at play in Highland Square and his company wants a grocery store in Highland Square.

Albrecht said a suitable tenant to operate a grocery store there has not yet been located. Another factor in play, he said, is the need to construct a unique store design for the West Market Street site.

He said ''the long and short of it is we can't find anyone who is willing'' to take on the financial risk of opening and operating a grocery store in Highland Square.

''We are not miracle makers,'' Albrecht said. ''If there is no grocery store to be had, we can't materialize it out of thin air.''

Albrecht said his company also wants a grocery store built on the still vacant lot at the west end of the redevelopment site.

So far, only a Chipotle restaurant has opened in one of the two buildings completed, but Albrecht said his firm is talking to potential retail customers who would fill five open store fronts in the Chipotle building and two store fronts in the building to its west. The 6,400-square-foot grocery store building would be constructed on the vacant lot at the corner of Portage Path and West Market Street.

Ronald Higgins, 36, a member of the Highland Square Neighborhood Association said the protesters demonstrated ''just what it means to this community'' to have a grocery store open at Highland Square.

The Star Market grocery store at Highland Square, which was located in a building owned by Albrecht Inc., closed in August 2005.

That building was torn down as part of the $6 million Highland Square project that includes the new library building that replaced the old West Hill Branch and new public parking facilities.