Wal-Mart plans to open its first Hispanic-focused supermarkets this summer in Arizona and Texas as the largest US retailer continues its drive to expand its dominance of the US grocery business.Just what the hell has Wal-Mart's focus been all this time, then?
That's what I was thinking. It's the same at the two stores we have here. Every aisle has spanish and English aisle markers, some food aisles are dedicated to spanish foods, the clothing is crappy and most managers are hispanic with all clerks and most checkers being mexican. I rarely go to WalMart any more.
That was exactly my reaction! When we got a new Wal-Mart in the area, I went very soon after it opened, and it was already trashed. The shelves were a mess, similar items were in different aisles, and the service was horrible even after finding someone who spoke understandable English (actually, there was lots of Ebonics, too, not just Spanish). I noticed that they tried to improve it a few months later, but their efforts weren't being very successful and I haven't been back.
I now go to a civilized one that's more than an hour away.
The first time I was stopped by a Wal-Mart greeter, I showed him my passport. I assumed that was what he was asking for.
What an excellent line! :-)