Replies

I’m not kidding. Walmart blows my mind. It’s a monument to human ingenuity. The prices are unbelievably low, the selection is incredible, and each time I visit a Walmart, I am rendered speechless as I wander from gleaming aisle to gleaming aisle.

Walmart is a difference in degree, not kind. When I was a youngster, we had a LOT of different department stores and discount houses, many of which had similar pricing (allowing for era). In Connecticut my home town had Grant's (replaced by K-Mart), Stars, Barkers, and #1 Caldor (which I still miss). Nearby towns had Bradlee's, Mammoth Mart, Treasure City, Two Guys, Sear's, Thrifty's, J.C. Penney, (later) Ames. For upscale there was G. Fox and Edw. Malley's.

Other parts of the country had their own (e.g. Venture, Montgomery Ward).

When I finally came up Wal-Mart in Columbia, Missouri, prices were marginally cheaper, the stores were smaller but ubiquitous. After Sam Walton died, the model was changed into the 24 hour Super Walmart thing. Overall, selection wasn't superior than back in the days of Barker's, Grant's, Star's and Caldor. Now, in my now larger hometown, it is done by Wal-Mart, Target and Kohl's. With Home Depot and Lowe's replacing Grossman's (now THAT was an upgrade)

Yes, indeed. Wal-Mart is getting a lot of credit for something that has long been around.

For us in the way old day, it was Kresge’s which became K-Mart. Our last “big box” type store to go away was that and Caldor. We made many others.

Never mind all the famous 5 and dimes that in my day, were also in malls. McCrory’s and Woolworth’s. They are small so they are more replaced by Dollar General et al.

It’s just more of the same, replaced by newer successes that supersede.

As a kid we had Holiday which was bigger than any walmart Ive ever been too, sears, montgomery wards, kmart, ben franklin, jollys toy store, roses, kreskies, etc. walmart has monopolized the whole sha-bang but in no way did the support the community or give the service we got when I was growing up. oh and JCPENNEY too. kinda liked shopping with mom back then always got burgerking and maybe 25 cents for candy at sears.

Before Walton started Wal-Mart he had a Ben Franklin franchise. They wouldn’t give him another one for Bentonville (or was it Rogers), so he started an independent store.

Some exec at Ben Franklin was too smart to let Sam Walton open a store where he wanted it.