WalMart Strikes another blow for small town America

[Sedalia Dave]

Big topic on the local news this week is the WalMart store closings. Seems that the stores stayed open just long enough to drive out the competition and are now leaving several communities without a local place to buy groceries. In at least a few cases the nearest store is over 10 miles away.

 

At least two WalMart Express stores just up the road from me are closing their doors less than a year after they opened. Both were the built in small towns whose existing Mom and Pop stores and gas stations have struggled to keep their doors open in the face of aggressive competition by the national retailer.

 

List of the 154 U.S. stores Walmart is closing

 

 

 

[Irish Rambler]

One more reason not shop at your local Wally World. It has been nearly 15 years since I have spent anything at one.

 

Irish Rambler

[Cliff Hanger #3720LR]

Yes, Wal Mart is closing some of it's stores.

Most are in small towns and are not selling as much as they need to maintain their big store properties.

 

Yes, the mom and pop stores could not compete and some closed up.

Now with Wal Mart closing these small towns will be left with no local stores to fill the void.

Actually they will but it will take time.

 

These situations are not the fault of Wal Mart.

The fault is with the greed of community politicians that wanted the big tax dollars from taxing Wal Mart.

The small towns can only support a big business for so long, then the business closes or relocates.

Where the smaller mom and pop stores grew with the small towns and could supply the needs and if now could order what was needed without being to big for he area.

 

I like the mom and pop stores because I know the profits stay locally and are spent locally.

They don't go off to some other state or country.

[Cemetery]

Guess I'm lucky, I don't have any Walmarts near me.

[Tom Bullweed]

I find myself dragged into Wallyworld about once a year, never buying anything.

Most of the stores closing in NC are in towns under 25k people that had strong chain or family grocery stores in the past.

I guess selling prices < cost to drive out competition is not a good business plan. No one can convince that people are eating less or wearing fewer clothes.

[Blastmaster]

I suspect Wal Mart closed those smaller stores because they were not profitable. Meaning the folks in that area didn't bother stopping at the local and smaller WM store and elected to happily drive the 10+ miles to shop in the big city and the Super Store and everything else there. For me, I gotta go 95 miles one way to WM. I know so many people that drive 50+ miles one way for work and probably stop at the Super Store if something is needed. I am surprised WM even built stores there after doing their market research.

 

Mom & Pop grocery stores here offer 'very dated' perisables (meat,veg,fruits, and dairy) at 20% more for prices. Still need Mom & Pop grocery store.

[Yellowhouse Sam # 25171]

Thinking Dollar General may fill some gaps. They already carry some produce in our local store.

[BONEYARD BILL, SASS #39,030]

Yep - Dollar stores will fill the void - good point - Yellowhouse Sam.

[irish ike, SASS #43615]

Wal-Mart is a business. They expanded out thinking they could capture more of the market and add to their profit base. They are a bulk buyer and so get the same products for less than a Mom and Pop. Mom and Pops went out of business because, wait for it, the locals preferred buying at a lower cost. Nothing to be done by the M&P group. Store isn't profitable it's cheaper to close it and let it sit empty. Thats Wal-Mart.

Driving 10 miles for groceries, Man thats nothing to most folks.

In some instances the cities have re-purposed the buildngs as small clinics or hospitals, community centers etc. Wal-Mart sells them low so a new business can step in.

 

Ike

[Utah Bob #35998]

10 miles is too far to go to a Walmart? I have to go 6 miles just to get to the asphalt.

[Sedalia Dave]

I find myself dragged into Wallyworld about once a year, never buying anything.

Most of the stores closing in NC are in towns under 25k people that had strong chain or family grocery stores in the past.

I guess selling prices < cost to drive out competition is not a good business plan. No one can convince that people are eating less or wearing fewer clothes.

Here the 3 stores I am aware of were built in rural farming towns with populations of less than 2000. Yes 2000. Nearest city with a population of atleast 25000 is at least 20 miles driving distance

[Blastmaster]

I drive further than 10 miles getting from one gun store to the other! Just to see if either has powder.

[Sedalia Dave]

10 miles is too far to go to a Walmart? I have to go 6 miles just to get to the asphalt.

Having lived out west where the nearest city was 90 miles across the desert I can understand that some people think 10 miles is not all that far.

 

A lot of the small towns here have populations of elderly people that grew up there and now they no longer drive or if they own a car they seldom if ever venture outside the town limits. Because of this, getting to the store can be a significant logistics problem.

 

Also in this part of the country it is not uncommon for social services to move families into small rural towns because of low rent and available housing. Most of these towns have the bare minimum of essential services.

[Blastmaster]

Having lived out west where the nearest city was 90 miles across the desert I can understand that some people think 10 miles is not all that far.

 

A lot of the small towns here have populations of elderly people that grew up there and now they no longer drive or if they own a car they seldom if ever venture outside the town limits. Because of this, getting to the store can be a significant logistics problem.

 

I can identify with that situation. Same here. If elderly do not have family, they are in big trouble, which happens frequently.

 

Also in this part of the country it is not uncommon for social services to move families into small rural towns because of low rent and available housing. Most of these towns have the bare minimum of essential services.

 

Social Services to move = welfare, felons with minor warrents and druggies. around my area.

[Rye Miles #13621]

Lots of Wal Mart bashing…I found that wherever a WM builds a store other businesses follow. WM increase the traffic flow and that's good for business. A WM opened a few miles from me and suddenly there's a Sav-A-Lot, Rally's, a reopened Sunoco station and a couple of small business inside an old Sears Hardware that closed. Out near one of the shoots I go to in a very rural area a Super WM opened, there followed a auto parts store, pizza place, Verizon store, a shoe store and a kid's playstore. WM is not always bad for businesses!!

[John Barleycorn, SASS #76982]

I like Walmart. Like it or not, the chain has raised the standard of living of millions of Americans by providing goods and services at a very low cost. They have also hired thousands of Americans and they support our troops and veterans. On a side note, out local Walmart provides free dog food for our K9 officer.

[Rye Miles #13621]

I like Walmart. Like it or not, the chain has raised the standard of living of millions of Americans by providing goods and services at a very low cost. They have also hired thousands of Americans and they support our troops and veterans. On a side note, out local Walmart provides free dog food for our K9 officer.

Right on John, and don't forget Wal-Mart donates to other local charities as well. There's also a section of "Ohio grown produce" in the WM by me. Not everything's from China!

[Blastmaster]

Wal Mart does employee thousands of people that would have difficulty getting jobs else where.

 

I presume they pay their corporate taxes, contribute to local organizations and so on.

 

People vote with their wallet and feet and continue to flock back to WM.

 

Other stores in the area of WM have to provide services other than what WM provides to exist. Like Home Depot or Lowes or a pet store .

 

I don't have a problem with WM.

[irish ike, SASS #43615]

Whats interesting on Facebook the Liberals absolutely hate WAL-MART. They under pay their workers, they make too much profit, they are so rich why don't they give more to the employees. On and on.

 

I don't shop there because I find most of their stuff is cheaply made. But it serves a purpose to others.

Ike

[Utah Bob #35998]

Capitalism is complicated.

[Red Gauntlet , SASS 60619]

I like Walmart. Like it or not, the chain has raised the standard of living of millions of Americans by providing goods and services at a very low cost. They have also hired thousands of Americans and they support our troops and veterans. On a side note, out local Walmart provides free dog food for our K9 officer.

And they've raised the living standards of millions of Chinese, southeast Asians, and Indians. By the way, I don't think that's all bad by any means. As UB says, capitalism is complicated. But there is no doubt that our hunger in this country for low prices no matter what has driven manufacturing overseas on a large scale.

 

I don't like WalMart myself, but I shop at other big stores. "Mom and Pop" sounds good, but ma and pa don't have nearly all the stuff folks actually want. Fresh vegetables, for just one thing.

[Chili Ron]

Howdy,

Some little stores closed up and some got better and offer things

WM don't carry.

Competition is Americas life blood.

Ive shopped WM and little stores in the same trip.

Inneffecient poorly run stores can blame whoever they want.

Best

CR

[Blastmaster]

And the internet shopping + the Little Brown Truck are elbowing into all big and small box stores.

[Badlands Bob #61228]

Amazon is taking a bite out of the money I spend locally. I can get it cheaper, get better variety and delivery is free if I spend over $35. The only thing I buy at Walmart is RV antifreeze, oil and oil filters for the vehicles and occasionally, .22 bullets if they happen to have any.

[Utah Bob #35998]

And they've raised the living standards of millions of Chinese, southeast Asians, and Indians. By the way, I don't think that's all bad by any means. As UB says, capitalism is complicated. But there is no doubt that our hunger in this country for low prices no matter what has driven manufacturing overseas on a large scale.I don't like WalMart myself, but I shop at other big stores. "Mom and Pop" sounds good, but ma and pa don't have nearly all the stuff folks actually want. Fresh vegetables, for just one thing.

The hunger for low prices is not unique to America. I think it's human nature. And common sense.

[Mud Marine,SASS#54686 Life]

Wal what????

 

From Idaho on the BC border!!!

 

 

[Matthew Duncan]

154 Walmart stores closing resulting in 14 Cashers loosing their jobs.

[Utah Bob #35998]

154 Walmart stores closing resulting in 14 Cashers loosing their jobs.

:D

[Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770]

Wal-Mart to Boost Wages for Most U.S. Store Workers

http://www.wsj.com/articles/wal-mart-to-increase-wages-for-most-u-s-store-workers-1453315937

 

Oh the horror of it all!

[Blastmaster]

Makes online shopping more attractive.

[Colt B.A. Blastn Johnson]

One more reason not shop at your local Wally World. It has been nearly 15 years since I have spent anything at one.

 

Irish Rambler

I hate wallmart, I can feel the evil from the place soaking into me as I shop.....Everybody is depressed to hell and back that workes there and even shops there!....I refuse to put myself in that situation, I would rather support my local community business and keep the money where it belongs, in my own neighborhood!

[Utah Bob #35998]

I hate wallmart, I can feel the evil from the place soaking into me as I shop.....Everybody is depressed to hell and back that workes there and even shops there!....I refuse to put myself in that situation, I would rather support my local community business and keep the money where it belongs, in my own neighborhood!

All the people working at our Walmart are pretty glad to have jobs. They don't seem depressed to me.

[Seldom Seen #16162]

I find myself dragged into Wallyworld about once a year, never buying anything.

Most of the stores closing in NC are in towns under 25k people that had strong chain or family grocery stores in the past.

I guess selling prices < cost to drive out competition is not a good business plan. No one can convince that people are eating less or wearing fewer clothes.

 

Whew! There is a differently a culture gap about what a small town is.

 

I am a small town boy. Grandparents, parents, aunts and uncles all lived in small towns. Average population of 500 and yes they rolled up main Street at 5:00 pm. No stop lights and stop signs were wave threw.

 

I live in the country between two small towns Both are "bedroom communities." The one we go to the most often is for gas as it has a nice convenience store and to the post office. It also has great restaurant at the airport and two banks. Folks fly in on the weekend just to eat there. It's population is 800.

 

The other town has a bank and really run down convenience store. Pop is 1,500.

 

We do most of our shopping on the weekends in a town 10 miles away. It's population is about 17,000. It has a supersize Wal-Mart. It has added much more to the community than it has taken away. It started out as a small store and over time expanded into the Super-size one. There never have been a lot of businesses downtown and most people drove to a larger city 45 miles away for shopping. The local WallyWorld is much more convenient and keeps dollars closer to home.

I suspect Wal Mart closed those smaller stores because they were not profitable. Meaning the folks in that area didn't bother stopping at the local and smaller WM store and elected to happily drive the 10+ miles to shop in the big city and the Super Store and everything else there. For me, I gotta go 95 miles one way to WM. I know so many people that drive 50+ miles one way for work and probably stop at the Super Store if something is needed. I am surprised WM even built stores there after doing their market research.

 

 

Exactly. Folks voted with their dollars that they did not want a local market place.