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Here4Good

Beach Fanatic
Jul 10, 2006
1,269
527
Point Washington
I can't imagine how WalMart could drive the wages and benefits in Walton county any lower. They are already dismal.

I may not want a WalMart on that corner, but the tourists will love it (it's away from the beach, in their eyes) and yes, St. Joe can do wha they want with land that is already zoned for that use.
 

ShallowsFuzz

Beach Lover
Dec 26, 2006
175
45
Point Washington
I guess I will be the first to suffer the slings and arrows of saying I am looking forward to a Wal-Mart moving so close to home. As I have said before on here, in another thread on the same topic, the same rhetoric was thrown about when Wal-Mart opened a store in New Orleans' lower garden district. Not only did it bring jobs, it helped revive a slumping neighborhood without hurting the 'character'. Further, the predicted shuttering of mom and pops did not occur. If anything, there are more small businesses open in the neighborhood now than before. I predict that the new Wal-Mart will have little to no negative effect on existing business on 30-A.

We might as well face it-the day is coming when HWY 98 commercial property will be developed. Frankly I am glad to have more shopping choices. However, I will totally be a NIMBY and fight efforts to open McStores on 30-A.


When my wife told me we were getting a Wal-mart in SWalton, first I couldn't believe it, thought it would never happen. But, I think it will be a benefit to the County, probably most everyone on here will use it. I don't know about you but sometimes it is a hassle traveling back and forth to PC or Destin/FWB fighting traffic. And it will open jobs here which is needed. Heck as I get closer to retirement, I might be asking you if you need a buggy.:wave:
 

Smiling JOe

SoWal Expert
Nov 18, 2004
31,648
1,773
Do you think the South Walton Walmart users will change the look of Walmart shoppers?

PCB Walmart was once rated as having the most beer sales in North America.
Destin Walmart was at the same time, rated as having the most wine sales in North America.
What do you think the South Walton Walmart will be known for?

The Destin Walmart is located across from Henderson State Park, and this Walmart will be located across from Topsail Hill State Park. (Is there a trend happening.) It has been said that this South Walton Walmart will not be a Super Walmart (which has the full grocery selection). In the past, we have seen the Walmarts (not "super") be the first to enter a market. Then, after that store is profitable, they search out a better location in that market and build a Super Walmart, abandoning the other huge building, which are typically not usable by any other business. Does anyone think this will happen with this particular Walmart?

Someone stated that having a Walmart wouldn't equate to more cheap plastic crap on our beaches, but I disagree. Having more selection and cheaper prices, IMO, will most definitely lead to people buying more needless beach crap, and making it more likely that it won't all fit back into their autos for the trip home. Now, more than ever, we need to get some Free boxes placed at beach accesses along the length of 30A.
 

AlphaCrab

Beach Fanatic
Sep 25, 2008
981
182
Inlet Beach
Do you think the South Walton Walmart users will change the look of Walmart shoppers?

PCB Walmart was once rated as having the most beer sales in North America.
Destin Walmart was at the same time, rated as having the most wine sales in North America.
What do you think the South Walton Walmart will be known for?


Someone stated that having a Walmart wouldn't equate to more cheap plastic crap on our beaches, but I disagree. Having more selection and cheaper prices, IMO, will most definitely lead to people buying more needless beach crap, and making it more likely that it won't all fit back into their autos for the trip home. Now, more than ever, we need to get some Free boxes placed at beach accesses along the length of 30A.


Yes, Joe....South Walton Walmart will be known for the most purchases of imported Chinese "plastic-whatever-it-is-junk" that could possibly be erected on, or dispose of improperly, on any given beach in the world.

The folks at Guiness Book of Records will be down to verify this at some point in the future, I am sure.
 
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30A Skunkape

Skunky
Jan 18, 2006
10,286
2,312
53
Backatown Seagrove
Do you think the South Walton Walmart users will change the look of Walmart shoppers?

PCB Walmart was once rated as having the most beer sales in North America.
Destin Walmart was at the same time, rated as having the most wine sales in North America.
What do you think the South Walton Walmart will be known for?

The Destin Walmart is located across from Henderson State Park, and this Walmart will be located across from Topsail Hill State Park. (Is there a trend happening.) It has been said that this South Walton Walmart will not be a Super Walmart (which has the full grocery selection). In the past, we have seen the Walmarts (not "super") be the first to enter a market. Then, after that store is profitable, they search out a better location in that market and build a Super Walmart, abandoning the other huge building, which are typically not usable by any other business. Does anyone think this will happen with this particular Walmart?

Someone stated that having a Walmart wouldn't equate to more cheap plastic crap on our beaches, but I disagree. Having more selection and cheaper prices, IMO, will most definitely lead to people buying more needless beach crap, and making it more likely that it won't all fit back into their autos for the trip home. Now, more than ever, we need to get some Free boxes placed at beach accesses along the length of 30A.

I really don't think they will abandon their store as they do in markets that are surrounded with near infinite land resources. We don't have the land here. I am sure you know that Wal-Mart has their own real estate arm and happily sells their empty stores to buyers that will not use the space in a competitive manner. Granted, that isn't likely to happen since WM sells a little of everything, but one really cool use I have seen was in suburban NOLA where a shell was transformed into a Vietnamese shopping plaza. The front area had a Viet restaurant, there was a jeweler, lawyer, florist, etc, but the majority of the space was an amazing grocery complete with live fish tanks, fresh produce, exotic meats, all manner of oils, sauces, spices, noodles, Buddhist wares...an incredible place for an Anglo to wander through.

I have heard buzz that this store might be one of their 'green' stores similar to ones they have in Colorado and Texas. I emailed Wal-Mart yesterday and asked if this was the case, but as of yet have heard nothing. The green stores are actually very interesting and nothing like the pre-conceived Wal-Mart stores we are familiar with.

I agree that free boxes are a great idea for used beach crap, but I don't know if WM being here by default will result in more junk volume. People who are going to buy the stuff will buy it at any number of vendors who already peddle it, and I can't believe tourists will make a special trip to WM to get a plastic sand play set because they are $1 cheaper at WM than Publix. The only factor that ensures more beach crap is attracting more visitors, which is something that most of us want;we are terribly schizophrenic in this regard.
 

GoodWitch58

Beach Fanatic
Oct 10, 2005
4,816
1,921
I'm not happy about a Walmart either, but I agree that people will buy all that plastic junk no matter what...I also think that many people, if not most, would put it in a "free bin" as they were leaving the beach...if they were educated to the problem.

We need some leadership in this area--this could be an adjunct to the "Leave No Trace" program...

TDC, why don't you make this a project and get local high school and college students involved some way so that they can earn some community service points
and help clean up the beach at the same time?

Our young people are well versed in environmental issues and most love our beach. I believe there is a pretty simple way to put this program together if someone in leadership would just do it!

We probably can't stop Walmart--and many don't want to--but, we could do something about all the plastic stuff they sell ending up on our beach.

I have always been impressed with the community planning that Jackson Hole, Wy apparently did: there, they have an architectural requirement that all businesses conform to their western look--even the Albertson's Grocery store has the western look/feel to it.

If we had only done something like that here before the big development started...
 
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soappedaler

Beach Fanatic
Feb 21, 2006
427
121
Go a little out of your way and buy from a local farmer. It tastes better!
Buying locally grown produce a winner for consumer and farmer | Welcome to Walton Outdoors


Thanks for plugging our local produces at the Farmer's Market at Seaside. The market is now EVERY Saturday from 9-1 no winter break since the chickens and cows don't take a break we won't either. Every once in a while I go to Wal-Mart for something but refuse to buy produce from them or meat, it always looks rotten. I can remember when the scenic 98 guidelines went in all the small businesses along 98 had to comply. The county needs to hold Wal-Mart to the same standards. Exercise your right to spend money with quality local producers.
 
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