Why not WalMart? - Why are people still defending them?

[Saviolo]

For some reason, I can't read an article about this without getting into an internet argument about it. Someday I'll learn, I guess.

So, here's a fellow making sort of vague hanging points about middle class vs. working class, and how WalMart is actually going to help people, because the small businesses in the Kensington Market area aren't paying better, and... aren't the local economy?

I'm sorry, I can't follow, so I'll link you to the article here:

http://www.randomhouse.ca/hazlitt/blog/why-not-walmart-case-chain

The smug tone of it just reeks of the currently popular hipster-hate. A sneering "those hipsters are just -so awful- aren't they?" that just makes me angry. Yes, those are my fairly angry comments at the bottom down there. It's my neighbourhood, so I'm a little passionate about the situation.

I wish people would just stop defending WalMart. They a) don't need it and b) don't give a shit about you. Am I just way off base here?

[hollysmom]

1. the best way to convince people to not shop there is to tell how they get ripped off.

I have to google for it again, but every time near christmas, they do a test of scanners in stores - there are always some prices that do not scan to match the shelf price. But Walmart is the only store where it always scans higher than shelf posted price other stores scanned both hiogher and lower. and that Walmart had the highest percentage of mis priced items - I think over 10% So basically you check the sheklf price and then pay more. Check those receipts people.

And, if people are charitable - didn't the store have a problem with having a donate a toy box in front of the store for people to buy and donate toys to children - must be bought and paid for in that tore - then the managers were caught putting the toys back on the shelf and selling them again.

[SheilaT]

2. Most things are cheaper in other places.

Recently I made spaghetti for 150 for a homeless shelter. A friend had priced out the ingredients at WalMart. I went to the Albertson's and the ingredients cost about 20% less. Gee.

[locks]

3. Thanks for trying

We've been fighting for years to keep Walmart out of Boulder CO but they bypassed our commissioners through applying for a permit that did not tell them it was Walmart applying. They are going to build a large store in a small store mall bringing heavy traffic to a residential neighborhood. And they are spouting their crazy pr about how much they will be helping the "working class" in Boulder who have no place else to shop. After writing a letter in our local paper about their terrible business practices and poor pay and benefits for workers, I had a message on my phone saying Piss off, you elitist pig.
The Waltons are the wealthiest owners in the US; their workers have to get government help (our taxes) to survive.
As the new Pope said "Money is the root of all evil"; why do we continue to sell our souls so that the 1% can make more of it?

[JayhawkSD]

4. I know I'm going to be condemned for this, but...

There are people who want to shop at Walmart (obviously), and if they wat to do that I think they should be allowed to do so. It's a free country.

There are people who want to work there. They should be allowed to do so. Why should they remain unemployed because we don't like Walmart?

I don't want to shop there, and I don't do so. I don't want to work there, either. Happily I had a better job until I retired. If I had no job and was hurting for work... If I had not had a job for years and my unemployment was running out and they offered me a job... Hmmm. I might not hate them. I might want to work there rather than let my family starve.

Oh, right, I forgot. My family will starve if I do work there. They are slave employers and don't pay their workers. Maybe I'm missing something, but to me $7.25 per hout is better than the $0.50 per hour I could make collecting cans.

I realize that their presence makes Safeway, Albertson's, Ralphs, and Kroger all go out of business and in all of their employees being laid off. Oh wait, someone said they shopped at both Walmart and Albertson's so I guess they didn't drive Albertson's out of business.

Meanwhile, if I don't like Walmart, and I don't, I just won't shop at Walmart, which I don't.

[Saviolo]

5. It's a little different in this particular neighbourhood...

There are no chain grocery stores. There are mostly greengrocers selling local market produce and then some little artisianl shops selling amazing prepared foods that are quite expensive. There is also a WalMart in a mall about 15 minutes away by streetcar. This isn't WalMart putting other big companies out of business, all of the businesses in the Kensington Market area are small, locally owned businesses run by people who live in this neighbourhood. Most of the produce comes from Ontario when it can (it being Canada, we frequently get California or Chilean produce in the winter), and the artisinal products are all made right here in the Market.

The street they wish to put the WalMart on is also always a complete snarl of traffic. Adding a huge retail space and parking lot there will only make it much much worse, which makes me concerned about the hospital at the south corner of the market, and the ability for ambulances to get through.