We’ve often wondered what force of nature could finally frustrate Walmart and now we have the answer: New York City. From the New York Times:
Frustrated by a bruising, and so far unsuccessful battle to open its first discount store in the nation’s largest city, Wal-Mart’s chief executive said yesterday, “I don’t care if we are ever here.”
H. Lee Scott Jr., the chief executive of the nation’s largest retailer, said that trying to conduct business in New York was so expensive— and exasperating —that “I don’t think it’s worth the effort.”
Although the major opposition to Walmart has come from blue-collar workers and union organizers who fear competition from non-union Walmart will force other stores to cut benefits and lower wages, Walmart’s CEO blames New York snobbery for the defeat:
Speaking about what he sees as snobbish elites in New York and across the country, Mr. Scott added, “You have people who are just better than us and don’t want a Wal-Mart in their community.”
People in New York City may be snobby, but they still shop at Kmart, and Target, and Home Depot, and Lowe’s…. —MEGHANN MARCO
Wal-Mart Chief Writes Off New York [New York Times]
(Photo: cmorran123)
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IMO, the “problem” with W*M in NYC isn’t so much the “union” factor but the fact that NYC is such a different retail market from the rest of the US (even other large cities like San Francisco and Chicago) and the fact that W*M still doesn’t really understand large cities or the Northeast.
I’ve always sensed quite a bit of animus toward chains of ALL types in NYC, much more so than in any other US city…who better to throw ill will toward than W*M? Yes, most chain retailers can be found somewhere in NYC, usually in midtown or lower Manhattan, outer Brooklyn or Queens, or Staten Island, but most chains are a lot more flexible when it comes to major cities than W*M is. Still, mom-and-pops predominate in NYC, and overwhelmingly so in certain areas such as food.
FWIW, there’s quite a bit of snobbery against Wal*Mart here in Atlanta, as well…there’s only one location in the city limits, on the site of a former hotel, while the upscale northern end of the city and the surrounding suburbs are being absolutely saturated by Target (there’s one part of town where three Targets are a mile or so from one another with the closest W*M being several miles away; in another area further north, there are two Targets a mile or so apart, but a W*M is nearly across the street from one of them.)
I have to confess that I am willing to look the other way with Costco for the reasons cited above in outofthebullpen’s post. I’d like to add that Costco certainly does more if you ask me for those of us who aren’t exactly affluent; I can buy junky generic crap at Wal-Mart or I can buy a wholesome meal at Costco fot about the same price. Costco is a bit of an initial investment but I save 50% on my groceries per year…easily…shopping at Costco. Throw in $1.00 hot dogs (mmm GOOD) and $12 megapacks of toilet paper and you recoup that 40 bucks in a month.
Add in cheaper gas for my car, a highly transit-friendly pair of stores in my area, and, oh yeah, a tire shop that will never rip you off and you can build one of those things next to my house.
Plus, they give their employees “traditional” holidays like New Year’s off. That alone makes me love them.
I am always impressed with the “Wal-mart” defenders; parroting the Wal-mart line on liberal snobs or union organizers.
Could you actually discuss the overwhelmingly negative economic impact that chain stores like Wal-mart have on communities? Could you consider the fact that citizens have the right to weigh in on land use in their communities? Could you wonder about the documented worker abuse Wal-Mart participates and promotes domestically and abroad?
If you can’t discuss the real issues behind the “Wal-mart debate”, keep up your sophomoric psuedo-psychological analysis on the “liberal elite”.
Its interesting to read these comments. I am from Boulder CO, and live in Atlanta GA. Near my house a new wal-mart is almost finished and will open in the nick of time for the holiday rush. I don’t really have a “I hate wal-mart” stand, but I wanted to make a view points about other comments that I have read.
I think it was stupid for wal-mart to even try to put a store in NYC. For those that have never been, you don’t realize the hustle and bustle of day to day life for new yorkers. Most people don’t won cars, walking or taking the subway are their modes of transportation. Wal-mart is just nuts it seams.
I still don’t understand why “mom and pop” shops are getting so much sympathy. I don’t want to sound like the villian, but its consumer evolution. I have walked into so many “mom and pop” shops and learned they don’t have what I need and I went somewhere else, YES to a wal-mart even. I don’t usually go to MAP (mom and pop) stores because their inventory is usually old or outdated (not literally, just their thinking). So MAP’s need to update, upgrade, offer more or close. Oh well.
Second I read a comment that struck me as, well…dumb. Oh to the person that has a problem with wal-mart selling guns and ammo, and not selling the pregnant barbie doll. Like selling that particular barbie doll would make you a believer. Well listen to what you don’t want to hear. Wal-Mart is a store and makes an effort to real you in as a consumer, but whats more important is that they don’t have to sell anything that they don’t like. I love that. What little girl wants a damn pregnant barbie doll anyway. Your bringing up this point because they’re not liberal enough for you, well tough. I wouldn’t buy a pregnat doll for dougher (or son I guess) if they where kicking and screaming. Kids don’t need to get a head start in that area. Let them be kids and play with toys that are’nt pregnant.
I also wanted to point out that Unions are not always a bad idea. Has anyone (here makeing these comments), been fired for something really dumb. Yeah well thats because you are NOT in a union. While there are issues with unions, there are benifits also. My grandfather once was fired because his boss did not like ex-navy. Well that makes no sense, and if you think for a minute that you have rights after being fired, huh…right. Here in GA, you can be fired at anytime for almost anything (except discrimination) and the employer does’nt have to give you a reason. Sucks, but its true. I’m getting at the fact that many people are in unions because there is more security than your “average” job.
Lastly, I read a comment above that got my attention. Here is a quote “Could you consider the fact that citizens have the right to weigh in on land use in their communities”. Um…NO, not if its owned by a person or family you don’t. If I had land and wal-mart wanted to buy it from me. The comunity does not get one ounce of say. Period.
I don’t agree with many of wal-marts tactics, and treament of workers. I just think that everytime I read about wal-mart and then read the comments. They always go into left field and the liberals get all distracted by “pregnant barbie dolls” and other stupid shit. Focus on the fact that wal-mart is a evil coorporation and sadly we all will find our way into a wal-mart at some point. But don’t forget that as much as you don’t like them its America and they have their rights as well. They are free to run a business, and maybe even put the MAP’s out of business. Its sad, buts its consumer evolution.
Thats my piece, if you disagree with me, great. Please don’t cuss me out. You can cuss me out and prove to me that I am superior. Use your words.
Wall-mart still offers the lowest prices on goods available of any discount store…..if you dumb fuck liberals in New York don’t like to save money then what the hell can be said for a dipshit state that elected Hillary Clinton as a U.S. senator! Nuff said!
I think more places need to kick walmart out. Indianapolis has far too many. There are like 6 within a 10 mile radius of my home. The one nearest to me at the corner of 86th & Mighican Rd just brings in the worst of people and is making the neighborhood worse.
Here is the google page on this walmart
http://maps.google.com/maps/place?hl=en&cp=14&gs_id=48&xhr=t&pq=petition+to+close+walmart&gs_upl=&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&biw=1600&bih=1139&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=walmart+indianapolis&fb=1&gl=us&hq=walmart&hnear=0x886b50ffa7796a03:0xd68e9df640b9ea7c,Indianapolis,+IN&cid=6211831345491847837&ei=jmtJTtOEC4PUgQfnn9SkBg&sa=X&oi=local_result&ct=placepage-link&resnum=2&sqi=2&ved=0CCoQ4gkwAQ
San Francisco rewrote its planning/zoning laws specifically to keep Wal-Mart out, but we’re about to get two Targets. Go figure.
I know this is an old post but the headlione caught my interest. Walmart lost a battle to open up a store here in Rothesay NB, Canada back in 2006. They havent been back. Mind you, anyone needing some Walmart goods can drive 20 kms in one direction or 40 kms in another and hit one.
It’s a trick.
Get an axe.
(seriously, though, they’ll never give up.)
They’re trying to squeeze a superfluous (aren’t they all?)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-o1fj1rX7A
Good grief. Not all of us are rich enough to shop at Whole Food. Not all of us can be snobs about jobs when employment is at 10.5%. Come to the poor side and see how glad you will be to get an job–any kind of a job–when your option is that or the street.
Last I looked, the concept of free market said that the shoppers would determine if a store was a success or a failure. Looks like NYC is more afraid that New Yorkers might just like having freedom of choice and might, horrors of horrors, shop and work in Walmart.
Yes, I did work for a while at Walmart. The money I erned made it possible for me to survive. That job feed me and kept me off the streets. Yes, I do shop there. Yes I do fill my Rx there for $10 for three months. Walmart hired me when no place else would hire me.
I now have the choice (and the financial resources) to shop at Walmart, Target, Kroger, Publix, Whole Foods, the fancy meat market, Aldi and even Winn Dixie! Yet, I go to Walmart to save money and to support the people I know who need their jobs to continue to survive. Around here, survival is a lot more important than being snobs.
And, finally, all you rich folks, buy some expensive canned foods at one of your fancy stores and donate it to the local Food Bank. People are hungry out here. Or, do you think that should be the job of someone else? The people I worked with at Walmart were the kindest, most giving people I ever met. They did donate. What have you done?
Hooray, New York!
I don’t often shop at Walmart, but when I do, I buy Dos XX.
I don’t often shop at Walmart, but before I do, I drink Dos XX.
A Walmart in Boulder is a very different thing from a Walmart in New York City. There are many sections of NYC that don’t have stores with a wide selection of foodstuffs (including groceries) at low prices. You can hate Walmart all you want, but if it is willing to bring nutrition to ghetto perhaps its time has come.
Yes , as any good intellectual will realize, keeping businesses from opening in a city because you don’t like them (when there are plenty of customers… and unemployed people who seems to feel the opposite) is a great idea! Target is definitely better than Wal-Mart, and much more caring! Go snort more of your smug now.
“Although the major opposition to Walmart has come from blue-collar workers and union organizers”
From what I’ve seen opposition from blue collar workers has been almost non existent. Most Walmart opponents are union organizers, social activists and democrat politicians.
“…don’t want a Wal-Mart in their community.”
And what’s wrong with that?
This must be a PR move on their part. In the text of the article, they clarify that they mean, they are giving up ONLY on Manhattan. They currently have been making a big push to move into Flatlands, Brooklyn. They are not trying to move into Manhattan.
See what I mean?