78,000 sf Walmart coming to SoWal [opening June15]

[DCFinSCB]

In 2008, the average full time Associate (34 hours per week) earns $10.84 hourly for an annual income of $19,165. That’s $2,000 below the Federal Poverty Line for a family of four. [http://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty/08poverty.shtml]

I've really tried to stay out of this, but this is a statistic that I hope all of those trumpeting the "but it will bring much needed jobs here" line take notice of. How many jobs do we think Wal-Mart will create exactly? Any more than the ones that would be created by several smaller (hopefully locally owned and operated) stores appealing to the same demographic?

Unfortunately, there appears to be an inevitability to this (and further development west of 331). In true NIMBY fashion, I am glad it is over on the west side of SoWal, but it undeniably taints the whole community I care for.

And the SoWal Community's little slice of shangri-la is getting that much smaller.

R.I.P. SoWal.


Hellooo SoWalmart!

 

[Here4Good]

Realistically, who expects to work 34 hours a week as a Walmart associate and support a stay at home spouse and two children?

Honestly, who can afford a stay at home spouse with two children on any wage/salaried position in Sowal? How many sheriff's deputies can afford it? How many teachers?

Are there folks working retail jobs now on 30A who are able to do that? The owners of the stores can't even do that!

AGAIN, I'm not a fan of Walmart, but saying that they will ruin us because a "fulltime" job of less than 40 hours a week there only pays $20K? That's NOT below prevailing wages around here.

If you want to get worked up, use:


70% of the commodities sold in Wal-Mart are made in China. [China Business Weekly, November 29, 2004]

In Virginia, for example, 60 cents of every dollar spent downtown, stays downtown--compared to just six cents for every dollar spent at a big-box stores like Wal-Mart. [Rocky Mountain Institute]

A Wal-Mart official stated that "it is common" for the company to request subsidies in "about 1/3 of all [retail] projects." This suggests that over a thousand Wal-Mart stores have received taxpayer subsidies, despite their $12 billion in profits in 2007. ["New Research Shows Wal-Mart Rigs the System to Skip Out on $2.3 Billion in State Taxes," Citizens for Tax Justice, 4/16/07]

 

[LuciferSam]

Ahhh, you equate purchasing with quick, meaningless sex. Now you are on to something. Banality is our saviour, and mindless consumption is it's only begotten son...

Buying hearing aid batteries and Depends for a dying relative is pure banality but what are you gonna do? Maybe I'll get a warm fuzzy if I spend ten times too much at some lovely charming 30A boutique where they smile at me, and know my name. Sorry, I prefer to pay less for a quickie among the toothless.

 

[danhall]

Buying hearing aid batteries and Depends for a dying relative is pure banality but what are you gonna do? Maybe I'll get a warm fuzzy if I spend ten times too much at some lovely charming 30A boutique where they smile at me, and know my name. Sorry, I prefer to pay less for a quickie among the toothless.

8 pack Energizer hearing aid batteries at Santa Rosa Pharmacy: $9.29

8 pack Energizer hearing aid batteries at WalMart.com: $7.88

I'll take the smile and name recognition, thanks. That extra dollar and change stays in the community, and I can see the beach from the front door. Let's not forget the convenience of parking at the entrance, walking in and out for said Depends and batteries in under five minutes, and using much less fossil fuel to get there!!! You can be back at your relative's side sooner....

 

[LuciferSam]

8 pack Energizer hearing aid batteries at Santa Rosa Pharmacy: $9.29

8 pack Energizer hearing aid batteries at WalMart.com: $7.88

I'll take the smile and name recognition, thanks. That extra dollar and change stays in the community, and I can see the beach from the front door. Let's not forget the convenience of parking at the entrance, walking in and out for said Depends and batteries in under five minutes, and using much less fossil fuel to get there!!! You can be back at your relative's side sooner....

Thanks for making my case for me. The new Wal-mart will be a couple of minutes away from me and I'll be able to pick up, oil, a filter, windshield washer, coolant, you name it. I might save $10.00 on goods and maybe $1.00 on gasoline. I don't see how having the beach nearby would benefit me in this situation.

 

[danhall]

Thanks for making my case for me. The new Wal-mart will be a couple of minutes away from me and I'll be able to pick up, oil, a filter, windshield washer, coolant, you name it. I might save $10.00 on goods and maybe $1.00 on gasoline. I don't see how having the beach nearby would benefit me in this situation.

If you disregard quality of life, then you are golden!!! You won't be bothered by those pesky stars that persist in coming out most nights, because your soul will be sustained by the halide glow of a brand new parking lot. Just think, it'll be only a few minutes away by car. That's the same car that requires you to save so much money by buying oil, filter, windshield washer, and coolant from a corporation that, were it a nation, would be the 23rd largest economy in the world. Wal Mart opens a new store every 1.5 days.

We are all floating on a rock in the middle of space, our decisions don't matter, and we are all going to die. Sweet. Now that that is settled, anyone for a Desperate Housewives marathon and a bottomless bag of Cheetos???

 

[PC]

You CAN save thousands by dropping a a good percentage of your take home pay, every week, at Wal Mart, but the thousands that you DO spend (not saved) are not paying decent wages, are not being reinvested in your community, and your taxes are paying for Wal Mart employees health care. If Wal Mart comes into SOWAL, you might find that you don't WANT to come here any more, at all. 1/3 of the small local busineeses WILL go out of business (probably more like 50% in this economy), and the place will not be the same. We saw it happen in Destin due directly to Super Wal Mart, and it is about to happen here. The locals that go under will be replaced by chains (think Subway, McDonalds, etc) and that's all you will have here. Is THAT a unique place you want to visit?

I am not defending walmart.

If it happens the way you seem to "know" that its going to happen along 30A then I guess 30A will become another destin or PC and it will lose all its cache'. I guess also all the investment and land Joe has put into the pot will be all for nothing, nobody will want to fly in at that big new International airport thats going in up the road and stay at a place that as no "unique" qualitys all due to the fact that walmart has opened a location closer to 30A.
Do you really think that JOE would let walmart come in there if they thought 30A and all the trendy places that are there and will be there in the future that will bring in the upper echelon of society from all over the world to spend there $$$ only to crash and burn because a wally world is on 98? Give me a break... I suspect I will be priced out of coming to 30A in the future if all of the growth Joe has for that area pans out. But I guess if you are right 30A will be another PCB shortly after walmart opens.

 

[LuciferSam]

If you disregard quality of life, then you are golden!!! You won't be bothered by those pesky stars that persist in coming out most nights, because your soul will be sustained by the halide glow of a brand new parking lot. Just think, it'll be only a few minutes away by car. That's the same car that requires you to save so much money by buying oil, filter, windshield washer, and coolant from a corporation that, were it a nation, would be the 23rd largest economy in the world. Wal Mart opens a new store every 1.5 days.

We are all floating on a rock in the middle of space, our decisions don't matter, and we are all going to die. Sweet. Now that that is settled, anyone for a Desperate Housewives marathon and a bottomless bag of Cheetos???

You live your fairytale, i'll live mine.

 

[danhall]

Do you really think that JOE would let walmart come in there if they thought 30A and all the trendy places that are there and will be there in the future that will bring in the upper echelon of society from all over the world to spend there $$$ only to crash and burn because a wally world is on 98? .

Question? Statement? Who can tell in this crazy mixed-up world!!

Aside from the grammar, let's look at this statement. You are assuming that "JOE" has the area's best interests at heart. "JOE" was formerly a paper company, and it has no imperative to be ethical. The logic of late capitalism is that profits drive decisions. If there is money to be made, then they will attempt to make it. Why would you assume that "JOE" is here to nurture and coddle the area at all? The fact that they sold this land to Wal-Mart developers shows that they are profit-driven, since Wal-Mart is the largest and most successful retailer ever. Everywhere a Wal-Mart goes up, there is opposition from the populace and a huge ecological footprint, as well as economic downturn for many of the small businesses in the area. If they were concerned, then this would BE a concern. This is all business. "Growth for growth's sake" should be tattooed on every one of their foreheads.

Sure, the idle rich will continue to come here and frollick in the white sands, but how many of us will be left to put away the beach chairs at the end of the day...

KNEEL BEFORE ZOD!!!!

 

[LuciferSam]

The reality is, people have already admitted that they buy a lot of things on line or stock up when they are in Destin or Panama City. Either way the money is not going into SoWal. A store, any store, on W. Hewit would change all that. 30A is great for places like bars restaurants and coffee shops where atmosphere makes a difference. Walmart will never replace some of the unique high-end stores and art galleries. Sundog books carries titles you can't even find at Barnes and Noble. So let's be realistic when considering what sort of dollars Walmart is going to pull out of 30A. I think a lot of people are strategically planning their trips and already spending their money elsewhere. Truth hurts. Don't shoot the messenger.