I know this will upset NYCers - Wal-Mart Chief Writes off New York CIty

[LynneSin]

:sarcasm:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/28/business/28retail.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

Wal-Mart Chief Writes Off New York
By MICHAEL BARBARO and STEVEN GREENHOUSE
Wal-Mart to New York: fuhgeddaboudit.

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.”

Mr. Scott’s remarks, delivered at a meeting with editors and reporters of The New York Times, amounted to a surprising admission of defeat, given the company’s vigorous efforts to crack into urban markets and expand beyond its suburban base in much of the country. In recent years, Wal-Mart has encountered stout resistance to its plans to enter America’s bigger cities, which stand as its last domestic frontier.

<<<<Snip>>>>

[insane_cratic_gal]

1. Don't they bankrupt just about every state

they move into?

[La Lioness Priyanka]

2. go nyc!!!!!!!!

:bounce:

[NYCGirl]

3. We don't want 'em here! (But I sure would like to see Target in Manhattan;

we have to travel out to Queens to shop there.)

[alcibiades_mystery]

7. Careful what you wish for...

http://www.gothamist.com/2006/09/08/manhattan_gets.php

[NYCGirl]

8. 119th St.! I live in the Village. Well, at least it's on the East Side, so I can take

one train...but it's just as fast to get to Queens.

Thank you for posting that. I read Gothamist every day, so I must've just forgotten that.

[geardaddy]

10. Target is a red company.

Most of the executives there donate to the Repukes.

http://www.buyblue.org/node/1963/view/summary

[NYCGirl]

11. Some of the companies I shop at are blue and some aren't. I try to patronize

the blue companies when I can — do you have an alternative to Target?

[geardaddy]

12. Not really.

I live in Target-town. HQ is here.

We shop at Costco. That's more of an alternative to Wal-Mart/Sam's Club.

I guess I would suggest the alternative of shopping at locally owned business that are smallish.

:shrug:

[NYCGirl]

14. I like the clothing designs at Target, and I do shop locally. I've only been to the

Queens Target twice. Costco is out in Queens, too, much farther away and more difficult to get to. Even the folks who write this Long Island City (Queens) blog can't figure out how to get there without a car.

But I will continue to seek out blue companies when I can — I prefer Best Buy to Circuit City, even though Circuit City is just up the street from me in Union Square.

Edited to add:

Forgot the link!
http://www.licnyc.com/2003/12/the_local_costco_nyc.html

[geardaddy]

15. That's good that you do make the effort.

Best Buy is also an extremely red company. HQ is here, too.

Check out this nastiness.
http://www.buyblue.org/node/342/view/summary

[NYCGirl]

16. Where did I get the idea that Best Buy was blue? Thanks for the correction. I guess

I'm screwed where electronics are concerned.

[geardaddy]

17. Maybe because their color scheme is

primarily blue? :)

[NYCGirl]

18. No, but I stand corrected.

:hi:

[alcibiades_mystery]

4. To quote John Bender

Bee-Oh-Oh...Aych-Oh-Oh

Keep New York SMALL. No fucking big box!

[yy4me]

5. For once, the little guy wins. Walmart is the death of small

business. I'm so glad to hear that NYC does not welcome them. Now maybe the small, local businesses can still hope to earn a living without trying to struggle against the big blue box.

[ThomCat]

6. I'm so heartbroken.

:P

[DinahMoeHum]

9. A "Wal-Mart-free city" !! What a concept !!

I :loveya: NY !!!


(You can take me out of NYC, but you can't take the NYC out of me)

[baldguy]

13. Too much competition.

They can't control the market. On a true level playing field, Walmart looses.

[Lisa]

19. get a load of Mr. Sour Grapes -- "what he sees as snobbish elites"

The NY Times doesn't say whether he used those exact words, but he sure isn't endearing himself to the paper. They came out and called Wal-Mart "dowdy"!