Attention Walmart Shoppers

[Ken]

15 years ago I relocated and built our house here, Was at least 20 miles from the closest Walmrt, there were nothing around as far as grocery stores or even a building supply, then the next 10 years housing development ( Subdivision after subdivision's ) were built in our area, Many schools, then grocery stores were built, several restaurants and fast foods, and of course this run up our property taxes, And now a new super-walmrt are in the works to be built approx 5 miles from me,
When we built our house this was to be the home we would retire in and live a more relaxing life in our senior years, Looks like one more move might be in our future,:confused3:

deepNdirt Bird
You never moved far enough away. I grew up on this place and then become aware of the distance to a larger town.
We have had visitors that found us by using the map of the state and finding Lost Corner community on Hwy 95 and follow the East branch of Point Remove creek. to Culpepper community and we live near the second P in Culpepper.
Told a telephone salesman who called wanting to sell something? That we live so far out I was answering his call of Yesterday. He hem Humed and then hung up.
Going to school there were 8 kids in the 7th./8th. grade class rest of school wasn't much larger.
Used to be quiet but now the county decided to pave the road and it is a short cut between 3 communities so traffic now constant. Heading toward Wal-Mart Store

Yesterday decided to check the sites of the black power rifle. Had to wait until the deer had crossed away from the target.
ken

 

[Bird]

Ken, I know in years past a lot of people from the Dallas area retired to Arkansas and I can sure understand why.

 

[Ken]

Ken, I know in years past a lot of people from the Dallas area retired to Arkansas and I can sure understand why.

Bird the Texas people who retire here are welcome.

Now the Northern States where they came down from and want all the facilities that they had Up Nawth like underground telephone service. buried power to homes .police cars on every block.
The 911 the county installed a few years ago was held up from being used until a local phone center could be built with operators on duty .
Then went into a blue eyed hissy when learned they had to pay the operators.

Some would almost drown before they learned to lower the noses so rain wouldn't run in.

After a while turned into decent folks it was just a learning curve they didn't want to cross.

And only Wal-Mart Store in the nation that has a delivery service for prescriptions. And Only to that community.

ken

 

[jinman]

I don't have any problems with people who don't like Walmart, but it miffs me a bit when they make up completely wild and incorrect statistics to support their claims. The Walmart in our little country town of Bowie, Texas has been responsible for growth of that city, residential and businesses. The taxes collected from sales at that store have aided growth and well-being of the entire town. The town was stagnant and going nowhere until Walmart came to town. It provided jobs, taxes, and sales in other businesses because of their proximity to Walmart. Without Walmart, people had to travel at least 30 miles away to shop. They took their dollars to those far-away places. With Walmart in town, the downtown area has been revitalized with shops because people will stop in to restaurants, antique shops, and specialty clothing stores on the way to and from Walmart. I truly cannot see a single trigger other than Walmart arriving that has been responsible for the speedy growth of the town.

Having said that, there are other reasons I like our Walmart:

1. The biggest and best parking lot
2. The cleanest store
3. A service station that sells fuel at the most competitive prices
4. A deli that has the best and freshest foods
5. A produce department full of fresh veggies and seasonal items
6. Fresh cut flowers daily
7. Fresh meats and a large variety of cuts
8. Fresh dairy products and a wide selection
9. More snack foods than my diet allows
10. Beer by the case
11. Electronics
12. Some furniture (not really a great selection, but ample)
13. Automotive maintenance fluids, filters, products
14. Sporting goods
15. Household goods and small appliances
16. Huge garden center
17. Huge pet supplies center
18. Prescription drugs
19. Clothing
20. Greeting cards
21. Seasonal sales (Valentines, Halloween, etc.)
22. Friendly people with smiling faces.

I could go on and on, but it is so easy for me to list all these things and the reason I love to shop at our Walmart. I'm very sorry if you have a bad experience when you go into one of their stores, but I almost always go into the store with a smile on my face and leave with a smile. Walmart makes my life easier; I'll continue to be a fan as long as they keep meeting my needs so well. Walmart is a huge plus in our community.

 

[Pixguy]

I have members of my extended family who will not shop at Walmart due to their labor/union beliefs but then turn around and shop at Target and Kmart and not the small local higher priced stores.

I've just come to the realization that those folks just hate and/or are jealous of success and have to have a bogeyman to rail against.

rant over.

 

[Bird]

I've just come to the realization that those folks just hate and/or are jealous of success and have to have a bogeyman to rail against.

I think you just hit the nail on the head.:thumbsup:

 

[farmgirl19]

Town growth isn't always a good thing, jinman. I can't say I like what has happened near me. I moved here and it was a quaint little country town. Now, it is becoming a city. I'd rather have it where I had to drive 40 miles to get to so much as a strip mall.

Luckily, there is still a family owned Gibson's near me. I shop there, if they have the things that I need. The chain stores can go back to the big city, and I won't miss them.

 

[mikehaugen]

For me at my stage of life, growth would be a good thing. I am still young and have no intention of living here until I retire. A little growth in this small town would be nice to bring up my property value a little. If it stays the way it is... that's fine too... I just may stay here longer. Though I really want a little more property, preferably wooded, but land is too valuable around here because of farming to just have idle, wooded land. Once the kids are grown, I may look farther south.

I definitely would have a different attitude if I were about 20 years older.

 

[deepNdirt]

I don't have any problems with people who don't like Walmart, but With Walmart in town, the downtown area has been revitalized with shops because people will stop in to restaurants, antique shops, and specialty clothing stores on the way to and from Walmart. I truly cannot see a single trigger other than Walmart arriving that has been responsible for the speedy growth.
Walmart is a huge plus in our community.

I'm sure they're always be a nay and yay over Walmrt, and I suppose growth is good for an area such as yours that has seem to have been deserted, Please remember what you have said when the county/city you live in has grown BEYOND your needs and the County has decided it's a privilege for you to live there and now they want you to pay 10 times your property taxes because now they have you thinking you property is more valuable,
The main ones who will prosper from growth is Walmrt and the County, You'll see!
But I am glade to know my wife isn't the only walmrt lover

 

[Bigfoot62]

Here's a link to a news story that happened near me last week: Walmart shelves in Springhill, Mansfield, cleared in EBT glitch - KSLA News 12 Shreveport, Louisiana News Weather & Sports
I feel sorry for the employees that had to clean up the mess.

 

[cletus99]

Walmart just bought 8 acres in a small town about 15 minutes down the road from me and there has been a lot of concern about small businesses closing. Our local paper did a story on it and posted a paper that shows that this is not necessarily true. I am actually looking forward to seeing Walmart open there. There is nothing hardly in this town and it is being built on a 200 acre Georgia Ready for Accelerated Development site location. I believe this will bring more businesses in and hopefully build this town up.

 

[jinman]

Here's a link to a news story that happened near me last week: Walmart shelves in Springhill, Mansfield, cleared in EBT glitch - KSLA News 12 Shreveport, Louisiana News Weather & Sports
I feel sorry for the employees that had to clean up the mess.

I feel sorry for them too. Walmart was the victim in that EBT glitch. Walmart had faith in people to do the right thing and found out that faith was false hope. That kinda reminds me of the excesses of some people with their FEMA cards after Katrina.

 

[jinman]

I'm sure they're always be a nay and yay over Walmrt, and I suppose growth is good for an area such as yours that has seem to have been deserted, Please remember what you have said when the county/city you live in has grown BEYOND your needs and the County has decided it's a privilege for you to live there and now they want you to pay 10 times your property taxes because now they have you thinking you property is more valuable,
The main ones who will prosper from growth is Walmrt and the County, You'll see!
But I am glade to know my wife isn't the only walmrt lover

Tim, I don't live in the same county as Bowie, Texas, but I can assure you my property taxes are quite large. We have Independent School Districts (a.k.a. taxing authorities) that account for the lion's share of our property tax assessment. Within our school district, there are so few businesses that residents bear the load of the school taxes. Growth of residential and businesses actually helps improve our school facilities while spreading the tax burden around.

But this ain't about taxes or growth. It's about a retail store that has been immensely successful and seems poised to remain so for the near future. The positive impact of a store in one region does not guarantee the same impact in another region. I've been very outspoken about the Walmart store in Bowie, Tx, about 10 miles from me. Go 19 miles in the other direction to Decatur, Tx and there is a Walmart store I try to avoid. It's not the store's fault, they have a very nice store. It's the massive crowds of people and less than ideal traffic patterns on the roads around the stores. Shopping there always makes me feel impending danger. Shopping in our Bowie store is like putting on a comfortable pair of slippers. The bigger store has more stuff and wider varieties, but our smaller Walmart is one of those rare instances where the store, the people, and the access to the store all give me a pleasant experience.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Gator in aisle 9.

http://news.yahoo.com/video/attention-walmart-shoppers-gator-loiters-155025585.html

 

[Turbys_1700]

I took my first job in Athens Tennessee in 1982 after college...
Met my wife and had my first experience with Wal Mart as they yet had expanded into North Carolina...
I remember saying back then boy I sure wish we had one of these back home...
Now I've got 5 within 17 miles of the house...
Little did I know how they would have grown in those 30 years...

 

[Bird]

Little did I know how they would have grown in those 30 years...

They are both growing and evolving. I think some people only have one Walmart that they visit, so they think they are all alike, and that's not the case. Of course I remember when Walmarts were not "Super" Walmarts; no groceries. And now . . . well at least 3 of the older ones in my area have auto service centers; oil changes, tires, batteries, etc. but the 2 newer ones we visit do not have. They still sell oil, filters, and tires, but do not do the work. The one that is in the most affluent area, has a very large bicycle repair center and sushi makers that the others do not have, and that one has a much, much larger frozen food section, too. And the groceries stocked are, to some extent, different. One of the oldest ones is the only one that has the brand of tamales that I like. Some have a self-checkout area and some do not. The architecture and exterior color of the buildings is different in different areas. So some things are the same; some are not.

 

[2LaneCruzer]

They are both growing and evolving. I think some people only have one Walmart that they visit, so they think they are all alike, and that's not the case. Of course I remember when Walmarts were not "Super" Walmarts; no groceries. And now . . . well at least 3 of the older ones in my area have auto service centers; oil changes, tires, batteries, etc. but the 2 newer ones we visit do not have. They still sell oil, filters, and tires, but do not do the work. The one that is in the most affluent area, has a very large bicycle repair center and sushi makers that the others do not have, and that one has a much, much larger frozen food section, too. And the groceries stocked are, to some extent, different. One of the oldest ones is the only one that has the brand of tamales that I like. Some have a self-checkout area and some do not. The architecture and exterior color of the buildings is different in different areas. So some things are the same; some are not.

A funny sidelight on Walmart; a few years back, Sharn Jean and I took a little antiquing trip over into Arkansas. We stopped quite a few times and asked directions. The directions inevitably started like this: "Well, you go down here to Walmart, and you turn.....". It happened so often, it got to be a joke with us. We surmised that everybody in Arkansas was lost until they built a Walmart in their town.

 

[Ken]

A funny sidelight on Walmart; a few years back, Sharn Jean and I took a little antiquing trip over into Arkansas. We stopped quite a few times and asked directions. The directions inevitably started like this: "Well, you go down here to Walmart, and you turn.....". It happened so often, it got to be a joke with us. We surmised that everybody in Arkansas was lost until they built a Walmart in their town.

Used to be "you can't get there from here,but go back where you turned off and your there.)

I can remember all new persons into the area were viewed as under cover FBI and looking for the stills.
So why help with addresses or locations.
ken

 

[jerrybob]

A hunter is facing charges for shooting a deer at a Walmart parking lot. I thought you were supposed to save a buck at Walmart???? What the heck?:laughing:

 

[LJH]

90% of Americans live just a stone's throw from the nearest Walmart? Wow. The closest Walmart to us is just under an hour & a half away - unless Hwy. 14 is closed for a snowstorm - then it's another "You can't get there from here." kind of deal.

I usually hit Wally World for a few things on my infrequent trips to town. I'm pretty selective in what I buy, always look for the Made in USA label. Not in the electronics department of course, that would be futile. It's a fun place for people-watching, and that's a fact.