[Mukluk]

I cannot support a business that treats it's employees so poorly. When I was ignorant and living in a small town where it was the "only game in town" I did shop there. But I haven't set foot in a Walmart for well over 10 years and don't ever intend to do so again. I much prefer to shop at Costco. Their prices are good and they are good to their employees.

[hosspuller]

Don't like Wal-mart ? Don't shop there. Don't complain or make snotty comments about its customers. It ill becomes you and says volumes about you when you do.

[Marshfield]

Cranky said

And now we have a Trader Joe's in New Hampshire!!!!!

Which makes me so happy. I stock up there every couple of weeks. I despise the Wal mart experience. I prefer Trader Joe's and our local Hannaford

[Bluey]

Don't like Wal-mart ? Don't shop there. Don't complain or make snotty comments about its customers. It ill becomes you and says volumes about you when you do.

I agree.
Those of you with other choices, good for you to go wherever you want for whatever reasons you may invent that fit you.

Do you really think there is that much difference between stores and the way they are managed, or is that a figment of our imagination, as the friend that works supplying several stores tells me?

Seems that where we shop by brand name of the store is like what brand of vehicle you drive, Ford or Chevy?

I have seen the exactly same kind of grapes and oranges in Walmart and Boston Market uptown store.

By the way, I also have seen the same "Walmart people" shopping in every place, not just at Walmart.
There is not a "no Walmart people enter here" store in town.

I think that, just as they market cars by brands, they market grocery stores by brand and we tend to fall for it.

Seriously, I think that, as my friend tells me, any store is only as good as the manager and employees make it and any one of them goes thru their share of less than adequate to awesome people working there, at any given time.

[WaningMoon]

http://www.greenmountaindaily.com/di...ght-in-america

We fought hard and strong to prohibit Walmart from coming here. And to get to a WAlmart from here it is a 1 1/2 hour drive into Williston. That pretty much sums up just how much we did not want one. But they won. It is coming.They say this is the longest fight to keep them out in AMerica.

[mvp]

Y'all know I hate Walmart.

But it's a sophisticated, fair and multi-layered hate.

The company can bite me.

Not pleased either about the folks who patronize the place in order to save money while accepting into their town a store that depresses wages. It seems to me that they cut off their nose to spite their face.... all in return for saving, say, $40 a week on a grocery bill. AND if $40/week is a lot of money to you, then you may just be in exactly the tax bracket that would benefit from better worker protections. If folks want to work against their own interests, that's fine with me.... but I don't see how/why that legitimizes the vehemence with which they defend the short-sighted position.

And what really chaps my hides is the gubment getting in bed with large corporations, leaving private citizens with the bill. I imagine that Walmart works well within the confines of the law. But it's a self-destructive set of laws put in place by elected officials that screw the working man.

[LexInVA]

Y'all know I hate Walmart.

But it's a sophisticated, fair and multi-layered hate.

Would you call it a "cake-like hatred"?

[quietann]

Costco and Trader Joe's are both known for treating their employees far better than the average retail store, and I'm a fan of both.

Remember Henry Ford realizing that he needed to pay his workers enough so they could buy the cars they were making? (I'm no fan of Henry Ford in many ways, but this is one thing he got right.) The race to the bottom isn't a good thing.

[LauraKY]

I agree.
Those of you with other choices, good for you to go wherever you want for whatever reasons you may invent that fit you.

Do you really think there is that much difference between stores and the way they are managed, or is that a figment of our imagination, as the friend that works supplying several stores tells me?

Seems that where we shop by brand name of the store is like what brand of vehicle you drive, Ford or Chevy?

I have seen the exactly same kind of grapes and oranges in Walmart and Boston Market uptown store.

By the way, I also have seen the same "Walmart people" shopping in every place, not just at Walmart.
There is not a "no Walmart people enter here" store in town.

I think that, just as they market cars by brands, they market grocery stores by brand and we tend to fall for it.

Seriously, I think that, as my friend tells me, any store is only as good as the manager and employees make it and any one of them goes thru their share of less than adequate to awesome people working there, at any given time.

There is a difference. Walmart comes in, local retailers close. Wages drop. Both my grocery stores are union. The grocery store employees make decent wages and have health insurance. They don't have to depend on food stamps and Medicaid to get by like too many Walmart Employees. When you take a really good long look we taxpayers have to subsidize Walmart's business model. Are you OK with that?

You really should read the book "Nickel and Dimed." I have a copy, I'm more than happy to loan it to anyone who would like to read it. You can pick up a copy in most libraries or order it used online.

[mvp]

Would you call it a "cake-like hatred"?

Sure! You can trademark the phrase.

No point in doing any hate that's not tasty and full of variety.

[laskiblue]

I'm not a fan of Walmart's employment practices. Yet in my smallish city, there are not a lot of choices for variety in general merchandise, so I go there from time to time. It's also the place I can get one of my prescriptions for the lowest price. As for groceries, Walmart's prices are horrible -- I rely on Winco, Stater Bros, and Grocery Outlet for those needs.

I'm originally from Michigan, and OMG, do I ever miss Meijer. They're not perfect, but they did the superstore idea first and IMO they do it the best.

[Isabeau Z Solace]

Walmart = Satan

Never shop there. Despise their crappy employment practices of 'clock out then go back to work.' Race to the bottom indeed.

[ParadoxFarm]

I remember going into a Walmart about 15 years ago. Had to use the restroom. There was smeared feces on the floor. Not in a stall, just out in the open. Gag. Needless to say I'm not a Walmart shopper. I guess it can happen anywhere, but I would bet most establishments would have been alerted right away and cleaned it up. And it just might show a "type" of shopper that goes to Walmart. I don't know. But count me out!

[rivenoak]

[QUOTE=Bluey;6824053]I think that, just as they market cars by brands, they market grocery stores by brand and we tend to fall for it. [\QUOTE]

Arizona has this in real life. Food City/Basha's/AJ's Fine Foods. Which one you will find depends on the general socio-economic make-up of the area.

http://www.bashas.com/AboutUs/OurStores.aspx

The Basha's by our new house closed, otherwise that would've been our local grocery. I like AJ's for the selection of baked goods, but Food City cannot be beat (unless you go to a little produce joint or maybe one of the Rancho groceries) for it's variety of fresh, spicy peppers which are a must when it's pico de gallo time.

[rivenoak]

I'm originally from Michigan, and OMG, do I ever miss Meijer. They're not perfect, but they did the superstore idea first and IMO they do it the best.

Word.

Whenever I'm home, whether or not I need anything, I go to Meijer just to wander around for a while.

When I was young, the one nearest Birmingham used to have some tack & whatnot by the shoe repair place. Heaven for a horse-crazy suburban kid.

[Sing Mia Song]

I avoid Wal-Mart if at all possible because of the reasons mentioned here: dirty, crowded, don't like the labor or vending practices. But also avoid ours because the parking lot is a serious beyotch to get in and out of. I despise sitting in traffic, and any money I save by going to Wally World is offset by the number of years taken off my life when my blood pressure skyrockets.

Luckily, we have a BJ's Wholesale in town. Easy to get in and out of, rarely seriously crowded, really good deals on toiletries and much higher quality beef than anywhere else in town. We are not big on packaged food, but get staples like Splenda, broth, canned tomatoes pasta sauce, beans, thinks like that. You can also pair manufacturers coupons with the BJ's coupons and score. There's no reason for me to pay full price on laundry detergent or paper products--I can almost always double coupon on those.

[BasqueMom]

Some Walmarts are better than other. There is one on the south side of Denton
that I'm not a fan of...another five miles south in Corinth there is one that is always pristine and a different class of shopper. A new one opened on the north side of Denton that is far handier for us...classier shoppers and help the first few months. Not so much now. We do save a lot of kitty litter, etc. Not fond of their produce.

Walmart has a huge distribution center near us. They do donate a ton of pet food to the group I foster cats and kittens for. Most of us foster moms just buy
food out of our pocket though I've often picked up kitten show from our office.
Every Saturday, our volunteers go to Denton store and make a pick up. Often
times, it's several pallets full. In better times, the group could give full bags of food to those that needed it. Now, there are so many needy folks, we have to open the bags and rebag the dog and cat chow into smaller bags.

Walmart does a heck of a job with disaster relief response. Here's a link from
the Washington Post following Hurricane Katrina and they were johnny on the spot after Sandy, among others.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...090501598.html

[sunridge1]

Walmart sucks every which way and twice on Sundays. We stopped them dead in their tracks here in my tiny town. Like we needed another in the area. Thirty miles driving distance to two already in BFE. Hate them and their completely foreign merchandise. I buy American as much as I possibly can, which is getting harder every day.

[Bluey]

Good for those of you that have choices.
I go to Walmart because those are the only stores I can drive to, placed on the edge of town, no traffic to get there, 30+ miles one way.
I can't see that well, so driving in traffic in the city is not for me.

When some other closer grocery store opens, that is where I will go, if it is a good or bad store, because it is closer, less driving.

Those of you that have a choice and can hunt and pick, well, good for you.
Remember to be thankful you can do so.
Also remember not to question why others may not have a choice and be as lucky as you are.

[DressageFancy]

Go in there at night when they are stocking. The employees look like Hebrew slaves building the pyramids pulling those huge skids around. And the pace is frantic.

Can't stand the atmosphere!! There is stress and tension the minute you walk in the place. I've known employees there who 'got punished' for being nice - transferred to bathroom duty. Their management rewards snitching so everyone has to watch their backs. It is not at all what Sam Walton envisioned anymore.

I agree their prices are no longer that great. I will not shop there.

I have been shopping there late at night and seen this also. I used to shop there when they first came to our area 25 years ago. Refuse to now as the changes are all for the worst since Sam died.