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Don't Blame Wal-Mart

There are some folks who really don't want to see a new Wal-Mart Superstore show up here in Bend. I understand everybody's gripe about it, but I'm sorry: I'm like most Americans and like low prices. I like supporting the local community, and do when I can, but, for the most part, I go wherever is easy and cheap (two things that will be more available since the new Wal-Mart will be about two miles from my house).

Should we really be blaming Wal-Mart when Americans like low prices? I don't think so. Besides, they are really good at getting federal funding for projects, so maybe they can help us out a bit.

Posted by Jake on 03/29/05 @ 01:02 PM
Posted in Interesting | 12 Comments | Permalink
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12 Comments

Kerry said on 03/29/05 @ 01:28 PM:
I'm with you, Jake.
I mean... I like mom & pop stores as much as the next guy, but I'm just not willing to subsidize them if they're not competitive.

It's funny how much turmoil and discussion this one store is bringing to the area.

eric said on 03/29/05 @ 04:59 PM:
No, you can't blame Wal-Mart. In this economy, Americans have to go where the lowest prices are. Wal-Mart may put a few "mom and pop" stores out of business, but on the bright side.. look at the number of employees they'll be hiring from your community.

Andrew said on 03/30/05 @ 10:51 AM:
Wow! You guys are out of touch. Wal-mart is evil. They drive prices too low, force suplliers out of business and paid a wage that is not suitable to live on. They offer no redeeming quailites.

If you want to trade a quality local retail base for $2 jars of pickles, I feel sorry for you...

lea said on 03/30/05 @ 02:00 PM:
Walmart doesn't do anything positive for our community...they have bulldozed thru important historical sites without care...created massive traffic problems...eliminated competition....lets not forget how they hire large amounts of employees when they open...only to fire a bunch a couple of months later because they overhired...ya I'm all about a good deal but I prefer a company that isn't so soulless.

Nex said on 03/30/05 @ 04:10 PM:
Stop shopping at Walmart and drive THEM out of business.

Alexa said on 03/30/05 @ 05:13 PM:
I have a friend that works at Walmart, and because of prior experience (10 years at a doctors office) she got to start at $8/hr as opposed to $7. Do you know that most people that work there have kids, are on welfare, WIC, food stamps, etc. Its just sad, because its not like you save that much by shopping there.

Jane said on 03/30/05 @ 06:41 PM:
The second Super Wal-Mart (second, mind you, and within ten miles of the other one) that was recently built in my town buldozed ponderosa pines and blew out the side of a granite mountain to make room for its parking lot. I for one don't mind paying an extra dollar for pickles at a less evil establishment.

Val said on 03/31/05 @ 02:47 AM:
I like Wal-Mart.

Michelle said on 04/01/05 @ 10:25 AM:
lea- They tore down one of Oregon's last drive-ins in Lebanon to build a super Wal-Mart about 1/4 mile away from the "regular" Wal-Mart. Although the drive-in wasn't a true historical site, it sure was a relic.

I don't have much of a problem with Wal-Mart coming into a town... I know economically they will impact those Mom n' Pop stores and I do feel bad for them. What bothers me is when there already is a Wal-Mart in the town and they feel a SUPER Wal-Mart is needed.

Anyway, that's my two cents.

Nameless One said on 04/01/05 @ 11:20 AM:

I liked the low prices of Wal-Mart.

Then one opened up across town from my dad's locally-owned shop and drove him out of business. Many of his old employees lost their decent jobs with benefits and now work for near-minimum wage at Wal-Mart - no benefits of course.

Then they forced my wife's company to supply them with goods at prices far lower than those goods could be produced in the US. So my wife's company, like 99% of Wal-Mart's suppliers, had a painful choice: either move production to China or lose Wal-Mart as a customer and go out of business. They natually moved production to China.

Then I found out Wal-Mart actually has a system for helping their employees file for welfare. They pay their employees so little many qualify for public assistance.

I like competition as much as the next guy, but this unfettered exploitation is not good for our country or our communities.

bewert said on 04/03/05 @ 10:27 AM:
We need to make sure that they subsidize the intersection, do not shut down their existing store without some sort of help getting it open again (there are already over 400 empty Walmarts in the US and they normally shut their existing store when opening a Supercenter) and make sure they don't cut down all the trees for a giant piece of asphalt.

The local politicos led by the Mayor seem to have already decided its a good thing, so the best we can do is make sure us little folks get something good out of it...not just more folks on food stamps.

Economic Ruin Ahead said on 04/07/05 @ 10:50 AM:
A friend work for Wal-Mart's accounting firm until recently. Let me tell you... she left because she was horrified by Wal-Mart's business practices.

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