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

[Andy A]

I am not telling you that you can't shop there, I just want you to be fully aware of the effect your shopping there has.

Shopping dollars that allow child slavery instead of child sex slavery isn't a big incentive for me to "shop Wal-mart with pride" - I'd rather support US companies and producers and local businesses to keep our economy strong.

Yes, Wal-mart donates to charity. And it is a tiny fraction of what other companies donate and a drop in the bucket compared to the taxpayer money they siphon off in order to bring you those low, low prices.

On this one we will have to agree to disagree. I can find something wrong or right with every large corporation in this nation as well as you can. And, 400 million is not a drop in the bucket and far exceeds the donations by many other large companies. I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about regarding taxpay money being siphoned off.
Face it. You dislike WalMart. I think, overall, its great. So be it. I'm not going to change your mind, and, at my age, you certainly aren't going to change mine but maybe some others will do the research and change theirs. Whether you like it or not, at this point in time, WalMart is an American institution created by a greal American, innovator, Sam Walton.

 

[poppy]

I've stayed out of this debate because of the distortions expressed by both sides but SB44's last post and Tootsie's response has finally brought me in.
There are plenty of people in this country who cannot afford to shop the elite shops of Seaside and Rosemary Beach, not to mention For the Health of It in Blue Mt. Beach. These are the people for which WalMart is a godsend. I could tell you a personal story of a WalMart manager who personally took me to another establishment to procure a part just because his employee "might" have screwed up. This is the only corporation that has even come close to this kind of response to a complaint from me.
On the subject of design and architecture. In my former residence of Edmond, OK, WalMart built a new facility with cooperation of the city council. It was beige in color, a beautifully designed facility with a tree lined divided approach leading into it. It showed what can be done when a community works with a provider to accomplish what they desire to be done instead of inserting roadblocks at every opportunity.
Another point. At one juncture on this forum, I brought forth the fact that in 2007, WalMart donated over 400 million to charities. It was immediately irrespectfully blown offwith some inane comments by another poster.
I could go on by googling everything good about WalMart but I consider that unproductive as you can do it as well as I can. You can also google the bad and how badly WalMart treats its employees on any number of biased union friendly sites. By now, I'm sure you get my drift.
If 30ASkunkape was sincere in his post, and I feel he is, I second his "I shop WalMart with pride". I do as well as it is the epitome of what can be accomplished by one individual using the capitalist system as it was designed to be used.

I'm with you on this one Andy. I recently went to the Destin Walmart to purchase bottled water for the office. I went to rear of the store and asked a manager if I could use a flat cart from the rear stock area to carry the cases. She not only got the cart but also pushed and loaded it for me then opened a closed checkout just for my use. After this she made sure an employee went out with me to load it all in my truck! I have never had better service.

 

[Gidget]

Interesting article on what "made in China" really means. Written by Robert Koopman and Zhi Wang - chief economist and economist, respectively, at the U.S. International Trade Commission. Shang-Jin Wei is professor of finance and economics and international affairs at Columbia University.

And where do people shop in SoWal when they try to avoid "made in China?" Online and at specialty shops I would imagine. And according to this article, components that are under US labels are often made in other countries. So in a global economy, it is hard to say what is truly 100% made anywhere.

The myth of "Made in China" | The Argument

 

[Minnie]

There is some good and some bad in everything. That includes Walmart and small businesses.

Walmart offers some things to their employees that small business don't and can't such as health insurance. Does this make Walmart better or the small business worse, no it strictly is the way it is.

Some employees of Walmart are on food stamps many are not. Some employees of small businesses are also on food stamps and government assistance.

When I was in college in a small town Walmart was the only business in town that would hire part time college students. I would not have been able to attend college without that job.

I tried to get a part time job at a small local business and they were only hiring full time and mostly used immediate family or close friends. That shut out college students.

What I don't understand is this, why will small business go out of business because of a Walmart coming to the area, when all Walmart sells is cheap foreign made products.

The small business should not be affected unless they are selling the same product Walmart carries and asking more for it.

Speciality shops that offer a unique product should not be affected at all.

I know that many will never agree on this subject and I respect that.

 

[Andy A]

Minnie, the points you make are every bit as valid on the pro WalMart side as those made on the anti WalMart side. IMO, more so.

 

[Minnie]

Minnie, the points you make are every bit as valid on the pro WalMart side as those made on the anti WalMart side. IMO, more so.

Actually Andy I am not pro or anti Walmart. I shop speciality stores, small business and sometimes if there is a need, I go to Walmart.

Unless you are purchasing handmade items from a local craftsman I doubt much is made in the USA anymore.

And much of what we label foreign such as Honda, Toyota, Hyundai, and Merecedes is made right here in the South.

I just think, as in all things, there is alot of grey area in the discussion of Walmart.

 

[Andy A]

Minnie, once again, points well taken.

 

[MRBS]

Hope y'all succeed in the county restricting the walmart development to something akin to the "better" less "walmarty" "boutique" walmarts. If stuff like this goes south of 98 . . . thats where you lose. Obvious I know, but that's the danger of wholesale approval of this development; another ding in the chain mail. Hope it's modest.

 

[Teresa]

Actually Andy I am not pro or anti Walmart. I shop speciality stores, small business and sometimes if there is a need, I go to Walmart.

Unless you are purchasing handmade items from a local craftsman I doubt much is made in the USA anymore.

And much of what we label foreign such as Honda, Toyota, Hyundai, and Merecedes is made right here in the South.

I just think, as in all things, there is alot of grey area in the discussion of Walmart.

yes, minnie you have offered good perspective to the debate. and the issue of Walmart is far too complex to say its great or its evil. I'm not trying to convince anyone here that they need to research the subject so they can agree with me or anyone here. stating our opinions is what a debate is about - a wide range of opinions exist here - and most are kind of middle ground occasional walmart shoppers, for various reasons. thanks minnie for expressing your thoughtful opinions with respect for everyone here - as always.

on another point.. if you shop walmart then you should certainly do so with pride - why would you shop anywhere with regret? shop there because you like the corporation built by Sam Walton and you like the product it offers. I don't know much about sweatshops in China - but I am curious and will check it out - I think I find it curious how some folks I know will only buy american made cars (even though the cars we see on the road are mostly made here) - but those same folks have shopped walmart with pride all their lives. no, I don't think the issue of where and how its made is important to most americans. its just how we've been told to think. low prices - good. where its made - who cares. but autos? buy american (ford, chevy..).

this is america - you should shop wherever you choose! whether you are shopping for a car or pajamas. now that is something we can all agree on - right?

 

[LuciferSam]

There is some good and some bad in everything. That includes Walmart and small businesses.

Walmart offers some things to their employees that small business don't and can't such as health insurance. Does this make Walmart better or the small business worse, no it strictly is the way it is.

Some employees of Walmart are on food stamps many are not. Some employees of small businesses are also on food stamps and government assistance.

When I was in college in a small town Walmart was the only business in town that would hire part time college students. I would not have been able to attend college without that job.

I tried to get a part time job at a small local business and they were only hiring full time and mostly used immediate family or close friends. That shut out college students.

What I don't understand is this, why will small business go out of business because of a Walmart coming to the area, when all Walmart sells is cheap foreign made products.

The small business should not be affected unless they are selling the same product Walmart carries and asking more for it.

Speciality shops that offer a unique product should not be affected at all.

I know that many will never agree on this subject and I respect that.

I'll go out on a limb and say there is less nepotism at Wal-Mart than at the typical mom and pop store. Good points Minnie.