On Target (Why libs love Target but hate Wal-Mart)

The Boston Globe ^ | October 30, 2005 | Thomas M. Keane Jr.

[Bird Jenkins]

As soon as rumors floated that Federated Department Stores would be shuttering Filene's in Downtown Crossing, dismayed Boston officials started thinking about who next would occupy the magnificent 1912 Beaux-Arts building. Two names quickly surfaced: Wal-Mart and Target.

This summer, Wal-Mart signaled it might be interested. The reaction was swift and negative. At a Labor Day breakfast, politicians ranging from the mayor to city councilors to members of Congress vowed to thwart the company. Rich Rogers, executive secretary-treasurer of the Greater Boston Labor Council, told the Globe at the time that the 90,000-member group would "do everything in its power to stop Wal-Mart from moving into Downtown Crossing." Wal-Mart backed off.

And Target? Then and now, "people are thrilled with Target," says Randi Lathrop, the Boston Redevelopment Authority's deputy director of community planning

[Bird Jenkins]

Inside the twisted minds of elitist liberals... Wal-Mart sucks but Target rocks, even though there's not a nickel's worth of difference between the two.

[dead]

It's not as weird as the fact that the only time some of them leave Starbucks is to go outside and throw a rock through the Starbucks window.

[msnimje]

I think liberals are opposed to the Smiley Face logo Wal-Mart uses and they just LOVE that Target Dog (Bull Terrier?).

[Cicero]

Walmart donates Republican.

[Non-Sequitur]

Wal-Mart sucks but Target rocks, even though there's not a nickel's worth of difference between the two.

Never been in a Target have you?

[the right side jedi]

What i want to know is why Filene's would leave? Filene's basement is awesome. I once bought a $400 designer silt skirt there for $30 bucks. Tourists go there to shop. Its a stop on trolley tours. Anyway, everything is this article is so true even down to the snobby Tarjay the New England Walmart bashers/Target lovers I know say.

[Ron in Acreage]

Target pays less and provides fewer benefits. But they charge more for the same Chinese goods than Walmart. Liberals believe throwing more money at something makes it better. Whether it's public policy or shopping. That's why they love Starbucks. They pay $5 for a $1.50 cup of coffee and feel good about being stupid when doing it.

[RTINSC]

***WALMART WHINER ALERT***...PINGING ALL WALMART WHINERS...

Ping Ping Ping Ping Ping Ping Ping Ping Ping Ping Ping Ping



(Walmart Whiners are too much fun)

[bluetone006]

Walmart sells firearms. Therein the hostility.

I shop at Walmart.

[dirtbiker]

Never been in a Target have you?

Only once, in Minnesota, coming back from Fargo, ND, headed to Virginia....

The only other thing I know about Target is that they are primary sponsors on Chip Ganassi's race cars...(both NASCAR and IRL)

[daler]

For one thing, Target is or was owned by the Dayton family.

That being the family of left-wing Sen Mark Dayton of MN.

And I do believe Kohl's Department stores are owned by the liberal Democratic senator from Wisconsin.

Which begs the question..what are these two guys doing pulling in PROFITS (dirty word) from BIG BUSINESS (another dirty word)?

[Terpfen]

This is really getting ridiculous. Just buy at whichever of the two you feel like shopping at.

I personally prefer Target, but only because they're closer to my school. Driving to Wal-Mart entails driving for 20 minutes over a two-lane road that's undergoing construction, and is usually choked with traffic. Not worth it. I just stop at Target.

[Bird Jenkins]

Never been in a Target have you?

Sure, I've been in plenty of Targets. I didn't see a big difference in quality/class. I do think that most Targets are cleaner than Wal-Marts. But Wal-Marts seem to have better employees. At Target, instead of smiling old folks in blue vests, we get surly youngsters in red shirts.

[manwiththehands]

I have a house full of Michael Graves and Target stuff. I love the looks of it but the quality of most Target products STINKS and is no better if not worse than WalMart.

[fullchroma]

bump.

[MarcusTulliusCicero]

I'd have to disagree just from a surface perspective, at least in my area, just outside of Philly. Walmarts, like K-Marts are always poorly maintained, with merchandise all over and out of place. The salesclerks also tend to be surly at times. In comparison, I find Target to have higher standards for merchanidise presentation and the staff seem more helpful.

[DollyCali]

http://www.snopes.com/politics/business/targetindex.asp/

[Non-Sequitur]

But Wal-Marts seem to have better employees. At Target, instead of smiling old folks in blue vests, we get surly youngsters in red shirts.

Can't speak much for Wal-Mart, I can count the number of times I ever entered one of their stores on the fingers of one hand. I remember them as dirty, disorganized, crowded, and the merchandise as rather shoddy. I did belong to a Sam's Club for a while so I guess that counts. And I found the Sam's Club employees to be at best apathetic and at worst downright unhelpful. Target employees that I've come across are certainly no worse and usually a lot better than the folks at Sam's. Which is a big reason why I go to Costco now.

[birbear]

Wal-Mart sucks but Target rocks, even though there's not a nickel's worth of difference between the two.

You're kidding right?

At least in all the Targets and Wal-Marts (up and down the west coast)that I've been in, there are worlds of differences.

In my little suburb of the world, Wal Mart is where you go when you want to fight with crowds, but are guaranteed you'll get the absolute best price in town. (Even if it's to save a just 11 cents. [Seems like most Wal Mart prices are $x.88, rather than $x.99.])

Target is where you go when you need a slightly higher end product, don't want to deal with the riff-raff of society, and are willing to pay a slightly higher price.

Target is generally a cleaner, more friendly environment than Wal Mart.

Wal Mart is where you go when you need a common place to meet at. (We'll meet at the Wal Mart, and then head to dinner, the theater, out camping.) Lots of folks in the middle of the aisles asking about family members at the Wal Mart.

Target is a more of a solitary venture.

Big differences between the two... at least in my experience.

[Keith in Iowa]

>>>Wal-Mart sucks but Target rocks, even though there's not a nickel's worth of difference between the two.<<<

Well, not quite...WalMart caters to the lower class in the socioeconomic structure, where Target caters to yuppie-wannabies.