Watching the Growth of Walmart Across America

[Danno 1,228]

Walmart's strategy from the beginning was to go into small rural towns where there'd be no other competition except for local mom and pop stores that simply couldn't compete and they'd go out of business.

They've run into growth problems as they've tried to expand in the more populated areas where they must compete with other high merchandise stores...as well as communities that aren't so eager to have a store built in their area.

After seeing the walmart documentary, I refuse to shop there. We have Wegmans and target supercenters here, which are 500 times better than walmart so we just shop there. Both are just as price competitive as well. The service at wegmans is second to none. Their stores are quite cool and innovative.

Actually our choice is:

Bloom

Harris Teeter

Target Supercenters

Giant

Wegmans

Shoppers

Whole Foods

Aldi

Which as you pointed out, gives walmart a good run for its money. Such a good run that only now is Walmart starting to covert to supercenters.

Tell me why Target or any other nation wide chain is any better than Walmart?

My objection is the same for all of them. They have turned our communities into rubber stamped copies of each others and robs daily shopping of any meaningful interaction.

On a side note, I saw a new wal-mart today which was designed quite attractively outside, not the typical box look.

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

Had we had the insight in the 70's to create planning laws that discouraged big box retail then none of this would have happened. I actively look at what I buy...I may not buy American but I make a conscious effort to avoid Chinese goods (as best I can...after all somethings are only made in china or have chinese parts)

[Danno 1,228]

Had we had the insight in the 70's to create planning laws that discouraged big box retail then none of this would have happened. I actively look at what I buy...I may not buy American but I make a conscious effort to avoid Chinese goods (as best I can...after all somethings are only made in china or have chinese parts)

Not sure what you mean when you say "Had we had the insight to create planning laws."

A lot of people love wal-mart and have voted "thumbs up" when given the chance.

I predict Wal-mart will redesign it's "big box" look and feel.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Cancer grows like that, doesn't it?

[aidan80 9]

"Capitalism is evil."

Agreed! capitalism is indeed evil.. the fruits of Satan's very own loins being spread out all over America in the form of Wal-Mart and the rest of them. Don't forget the copy & past houses that all look the same and cost stupid amounts of money that no one can afford anymore! Originality and individualism is being wiped out by big, fast, easy off a production line type houses, stores, jobs..etc Time to reclaim what is yours and what is yours shouldn't just be handed to you in a nice fancy box with three easy steps to make it work and only 36 easy monthly payments of x,y and z. Life in some ways for those that can afford it is so stupidly easy and in a nice fresh package that it makes me sick!

[AlHayatZween 2]

To be honest that kind of creeped me out a bit.

In the "Holy ####### they're invading America" kind of creepy.

It is creepy... like the Ebola virus.

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

By we I mean us in the planning field. There are so many things wrong with urban planning since the 1950's and big box retail is a part of that. Some areas with strong planning laws have stemmed the tide...and are promoting new american urbanism.