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

[scooterbug44]

The stuff that has been allowed to go on is absolutely amazing.

But if the developers have the money to buy politicians, don't they also have the money to sway the voters OR pay folks to vote their way?

IMO, if the concern is corrupt officials and bad developers, we need better plans/rules that can't be easily modified.

 

[beachmouse]

There was actually a legitimate side point to the pig ammendment, for all that it's easy to mock the original intent. Large scale pig farming is utterly horrible for the environment. You end up with giant lagoons of concentrated sewage, which are prone to fail and release said heavily polluting pig waste into local groundwater.

And considering how fragile Florida is in that regard, that's one segment of agriculture the state really didn't want to see estabilshed down here.

As for contempt for elected officials, considering the track record for honesty from them in these parts in recent years, it's seriously hard to be a believer in good government, for all that I really want to.

 

[Matt J]

It is a really stupid amendment (as are many Florida amendments) calling for a vote of the people on any land use change. It takes the use of land use codes and zoning away from your elected officials and puts it directly in the hands of the uninformed, uneducated and easily manipulated. Its an unscrupulous developer's dream.

If it's their dream then why are the Realtors, Developers, and Chamber of Commerce's PACs (Political Action Committees or lobbyists for the uninformed voter) absolutely against it?

You can inform yourself by going to:

Home

Interestingly enough it was started by a community very similar to ours that didn't want to look like Front Beach Road in PCB. If the amendment doesn't pass I can guarantee a challenge of the 50 foot height restriction in Walton County in the very near future.

It's easy to buy off 3 county commissioners. It's much more difficult to buy off 50,000 voters.

 

[Lady D]

Well, hubby and I don't live in Sowal but as someone who lives in a city with 680,000+ residents we welcome Walmart Supercenters. When you have only Kroger and Schnucks and maybe a Piggly Wiggly or two to shop at which are all higher other than the 10 for $10 items you welcome a place like Walmart that has everything, and for less. When we are at the beach we actually do our shopping at the Walmart Supercenter in PC Beach. Publix is high to us and so is Winn Dixie. But I do not agree with this comment about PC Beach and Destin.

Why couldn't they have stayed in Destin and PC w/ the rest of the tacky crap and box stores instead of coming here to destroy our happy lives!

Not trying to ruffle any feathers here but hubby and I do all of our shopping/and or activities in PC Beach. 30A does not offer the type of activities we like to do, no waverunner tours, sure, you can probably rent scooters but I would not dare ride one along 30A, read too many comments on here in past years from people complaining about people riding scooters. PC Beach is not all tacky crap and box stores, Nor is Destin. Granted PC Beach has a few stores I would call questionable but i do not have to go to them. Not to mention the nice dine in restaurants all over PC Beach, and the nice beach homes and condos along Front Beach Rd. Same I'm sure for Destin. Drive over to the town of St. Andrews and you have very nice high dollar bayside homes near the marina, not to mention more nice restaurants. Same around the marina by Captain Anderson's. We also like to go to Pier Park, 30A does not have anything like it. Many along 30A obviously don't believe in chain restaurants/and or stores, that is why they are opposing the Walmart, just wanted to give my opinion.

 

[theyachtbroker]

Sad! Sad! Sad!

WAL MART SUCKS!

My father was a VP of Sales for the largest ready to assemble furniture company in the world. He kept them OUT of Wal-Mart and the company was ultra successful. Why you might ask did he do this (I did)?. WM firsts welcomes you to the family at a ?well ?slightly reduced price?? something that you may not be thrilled with but they place huge orders. Orders that your company may have to ramp up to fill! You hire new employees, build another facility, and life is good. Then you get the call! ?Wal-Mart customers need your product for less, so we are only going to pay you $$$$ per unit? Bad news Mr. Corporation! You cant leave WM as you have all this money invested and have ramped up to meet the demand! This is the WM way over, and over again. They kill the local business guy and at the end of the day all you have left is a crappy WM to shop! Hope you like nasty aged produce, and the brands they like to carry!

 

[30A Skunkape]

WAL MART SUCKS!

My father was a VP of Sales for the largest ready to assemble furniture company in the world. He kept them OUT of Wal-Mart and the company was ultra successful. Why you might ask did he do this (I did)?. WM firsts welcomes you to the family at a ?well ?slightly reduced price?? something that you may not be thrilled with but they place huge orders. Orders that your company may have to ramp up to fill! You hire new employees, build another facility, and life is good. Then you get the call! ?Wal-Mart customers need your product for less, so we are only going to pay you $$$$ per unit? Bad news Mr. Corporation! You cant leave WM as you have all this money invested and have ramped up to meet the demand! This is the WM way over, and over again. They kill the local business guy and at the end of the day all you have left is a crappy WM to shop! Hope you like nasty aged produce, and the brands they like to carry!

I challenge you to name three businesses that will be put at risk by the SOWAL-MART.

 

[Teresa]

Well, hubby and I don't live in Sowal but as someone who lives in a city with 680,000+ residents we welcome Walmart Supercenters. When you have only Kroger and Schnucks and maybe a Piggly Wiggly or two to shop at which are all higher other than the 10 for $10 items you welcome a place like Walmart that has everything, and for less. When we are at the beach we actually do our shopping at the Walmart Supercenter in PC Beach. Publix is high to us and so is Winn Dixie. But I do not agree with this comment about PC Beach and Destin.

Why couldn't they have stayed in Destin and PC w/ the rest of the tacky crap and box stores instead of coming here to destroy our happy lives!

Not trying to ruffle any feathers here but hubby and I do all of our shopping/and or activities in PC Beach. 30A does not offer the type of activities we like to do, no waverunner tours, sure, you can probably rent scooters but I would not dare ride one along 30A, read too many comments on here in past years from people complaining about people riding scooters. PC Beach is not all tacky crap and box stores, Nor is Destin. Granted PC Beach has a few stores I would call questionable but i do not have to go to them. Not to mention the nice dine in restaurants all over PC Beach, and the nice beach homes and condos along Front Beach Rd. Same I'm sure for Destin. Drive over to the town of St. Andrews and you have very nice high dollar bayside homes near the marina, not to mention more nice restaurants. Same around the marina by Captain Anderson's. We also like to go to Pier Park, 30A does not have anything like it. Many along 30A obviously don't believe in chain restaurants/and or stores, that is why they are opposing the Walmart, just wanted to give my opinion.

I think 30A, and all of South Walton, is unique because of its small town charm with small businesses and 40% state owned preserved land. It is unique in many, many ways. It is not PCB or Destin, and I don't think it wants to ever be. at least I hope not! Its uniqueness and natural beauty is the main draw for residents and visitors. slow down and take in the beauty of dunes, lakes and nature all around. Do some biking, hiking, kayaking, fishing, snorkeling. Have a coffee. Go to an outdoor concert. Dine out. AND drove over to PCB now and then for your Mall Fix, maybe go to Sam's, and eat at Olive Garden.

I do not mind driving to PCB or Destin for chains or shopping, when needed. what I've found though is... it isn't hardly ever needed. It took a while, but I did discover something very interesting. I don't need it. I never did, even though something or someone in the past had me convinced that I did need big stores, malls and chain restaurants.

We do have Grand Blvd - and its enough for now. Pier Park is nice for some. We do enjoy the movies - poor quality and all. But, every time I go there I feel very sad about the poor overall design/development. It isn't a destination for me, except Target or Dillards every now and then. They can have the rest. Why do we need malls on 30A? Unique shopping can be done on 30A. Otherwise, we just don't have the demand or the land, much less the capacity for traffic, etc.

People choose to live here for its uniqueness (just as some people move out for the same reason - it just doesn't have all the "necessary stuff"). So far, we do not have to fight traffic on a wide highway filled with every store and restaurant, the very same ones you see in AnyCity, USA. But, my guess is that someday, Hwy 98 will be AnyCity (starting with Walmart. Its okay, I'm past it. I don't have to love it or even shop there). But, not 30A. 30A is exactly as it should be - but still has growing to do - in its own time, in its own way.

The only thing we're missing in SoWal is a really good family-style, affordable, Mexican restaurant!

 

[sunspotbaby]

I enjoyed this article in the Parade mag this week. This town has it figured out IMO.

You'll Wish You Were Here | Parade.com

 

[Lady D]

I think 30A, and all of South Walton, is unique because of its small town charm with small businesses and 40% state owned preserved land. It is unique in many, many ways. It is not PCB or Destin, and I don't think it wants to ever be. at least I hope not! Its uniqueness and natural beauty is the main draw for residents and visitors. slow down and take in the beauty of dunes, lakes and nature all around. Do some biking, hiking, kayaking, fishing, snorkeling. Have a coffee. Go to an outdoor concert. Dine out. AND drove over to PCB now and then for your Mall Fix, maybe go to Sam's, and eat at Olive Garden.

I do not mind driving to PCB or Destin for chains or shopping, when needed. what I've found though is... it isn't hardly ever needed. It took a while, but I did discover something very interesting. I don't need it. I never did, even though something or someone in the past had me convinced that I did need big stores, malls and chain restaurants.

We do have Grand Blvd - and its enough for now. Pier Park is nice for some. We do enjoy the movies - poor quality and all. But, every time I go there I'm really mad about what a horrible job was done in that overall design/development. It isn't a destination for me, except Target or Dillards every now and then. They can have the rest.

People choose to live here for its uniqueness. It does not involve a wide highway filled with every store and restaurant, the very same that you see in AnyCity, USA. But, my guess is that someday, Hwy 98 will be AnyCity. But, not 30A. 30A is exactly as it should be - but still has growing to do - in its own time, in its own way.

The only thing we're missing in SoWal is a really good family-style, affordable, Mexican restaurant!

Maybe a Mexican restaurant will come. We ourselves spent more time in Penneys and Target at Pier Park ourselves. 30A is unique sure, we have driven it from one end to the other, we do like the area of Rosemary Beach and the beautiful trees there which are down the middle of 30A. I love the area of Mexico Beach, small town charm there, mostly beach homes and a few motels, but you don't find again many of the things we like to do, that is where PC Beach comes into the picture. The standard look to the beach homes are what I like. But regardless, the beaches are all the same as to beauty from Pensacola Beach to Mexico Beach.

 

[Teresa]

Maybe a Mexican restaurant will come. We ourselves spent more time in Penneys and Target at Pier Park ourselves. 30A is unique sure, we have driven it from one end to the other, we do like the area of Rosemary Beach and the beautiful trees there which are down the middle of 30A. I love the area of Mexico Beach, small town charm there, mostly beach homes and a few motels, but you don't find again many of the things we like to do, that is where PC Beach comes into the picture. The standard look to the beach homes are what I like. But regardless, the beaches are all the same as to beauty from Pensacola Beach to Mexico Beach.

I understand what you are saying. and yes, the beaches all hold their own beauty all along the coast. But, I think what makes SoWal so attractive to many is the way the beauty has been preserved, even with development (overall). Mainly - height restrictions. The 30A area is relatively small - all along a small scenic road - not conducive to big stores, big restaurants, big parking lots, or big traffic. Its a residential community, and a resort community. Those who long for a jet ski/parasailing/bungee jumping vacation wouldn't see the appeal here. and that's just as well. each town has its own flavor.

SoWal isn't perfect by any means. and who knows what it will look like in 20 years. I think its residents take a very active role in shaping its growth and development - and for that I am so grateful.