Petition signers fight proposed Lorain Wal-Mart

[Algorem]

http://www.morningjournal.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=14513101&BRD=1699&PAG=461&dept_id=46371&rfi=6

LORAIN -- Nearly three times the number of signatures needed were submitted yesterday to put a referendum on the November ballot on the rezoning for a Wal-Mart store, according to an attorney representing residents opposed to the location along Cooper Foster Park Road.


''The people will get the right to vote on the rezoning issue,'' said attorney Gerald Phillips after he submitted 4,302 signatures to Lorain Auditor Ron Mantini, 2,859 more than the 1,443 needed to represent 10 percent of the registered voters who cast a ballot in the last governor's race.

''There wouldn't be that many signatures on the petitions if that many people didn't oppose it,'' Phillips said. ''It'll be an interesting election. Let the games begin. Three times the amount of signatures needed? That's impressive.''

The signatures must be turned over to the Lorain County Board of Elections within 10 days, and Phillips said Mantini should step aside from his normal role of handling the petitions for certification, contending he has a conflict of interest because he owns part of the property needed for the Wal-Mart...

[WLKjr]

1. Wal-mart is putting too many stores too close together

The company philosophy is make themselves the only competition. It's hurting them and they don't even realize it.

I know of a store that JUST OPENED up a few weeks ago, about 9 miles from the one I work at, and from what I am told they are already laying off people becuase they are not brigning in the business they thought they would.

Those stores should be at least 30 miles apart and one to a town (based on size)

and watch me get flamed on this one.....

[POAS]

3. Are you talking about the Wadsworth store???

[shade]

4. Yeah.

No flames here. I'm all for fewer Wal-Marts.

Findlay, unfortunately, already has one Wal-Mart on the east side of town. Now they're talking about building a second one on the west side by I-75. It's ridiculous, this is a town of around 40k people, and we don't need a second Wal-Mart here.

I'd much rather have a Target or a CostCo, so I have more options for avoiding Wal-Mart. Thank god for Meijers, at least...

The only thing I'll give Wal-mart credit for here is that their vision center is pretty good -- I've been treated better by the staff there than at some other places in town.

[POAS]

5. My daughter has a part time job at the Wadsworth store

(Does Wal*Mart have any other kinds of jobs?)

She confirms what you say, the business at that store is not what they expected. Also my neighbor applied there for a mangerial position and was going to be hired but not enough business to hire more people.

The Home Depot next to it is suffering the same fate. Very low volume.
There has been an un-organized boycott against the Wal*Mart there, I don't know if it included the Home Depot or if it is just spill over from the Wal*Mart boycott.

[benevolent dictator]

2. I'm up in Detroit, and we have them within miles of each other too.

I run an anti-Wal*Mart group, one of the things we do is we protest outside Wal-Marts and hand out flyers to let people know why they shouldn't shop there. The flyers are online at http://www.reformwalmart.org if you think they would be helpful there. Luckily though it sounds like people are already opposed.