AZ Grocer Basha decries Wal-Mart 'blitzkrieg'

AZ Republic ^ | Christine L. Romero

[hsmomx3]

When it comes to Wal-Mart, Arizona grocery icon Eddie Basha doesn't mince words.

"I call it the economic holocaust," Basha, chief executive of Bashas', the state's largest homegrown supermarket chain, said in an interview with The Arizona Republic. "It's no different than what the Nazis did in World War II. It's a blitzkrieg. They are doing economically what the Nazis did militaristically."

[devane617]

I really dislike WalMart and refuse to shop there, but Basha's Nazi thing is pushing a bit too far.

[DH]

Big fish eating smaller fish.

I wonder how many "Ma and Pa" tiny grocery stores Basha's put out of business when they came to town?  Well, as the saying goes, "what goes around comes around."

Now, when a bigger fish is eating them, they cry foul. 

[kaktuskid]

This is merely a bunch of sour grapes by Eddie..

The truth is that Bashas' (along with Safeway) has been putting stores into every small AZ town either buying out Ma & Pa or putting them out of business, along with picking the carcasses (buying a store or two) of other defunct grocers, like AJ Bayless, Southwest Supermarkets, Babbitt's, and Phelps Dodge Mercantile. Now that Wallymart is doing to Bashas' what he did to ma & pa he complains!

[raloxk]

"Went into Basha's exactly twice. Don't care for the store and I think their prices are too high."


mmmm....i think were getting to the root of this guys problem here

[HungarianGypsy]

I think Costco is worth it just for what we save on milk, eggs, and laundry detergent.
Basha's used to have some of the best quality veggies, but where I am moving to it would probably just as easy and cheaper to go to a local veggie store. I have even tried Basha's Grocerys By Phone on the weeks when my husband has worked too late for us to ever get to the grocery store. Not counting the delivery charge I can get the same items at Wal-Mart that I do at Basha's for at least $30 less. Perhaps I am a horrible person for not supporting local business (at least this is what the outspoken people in my neighborhood say about anyone who shop box stores).

[Lael]

Went into Basha's exactly twice. Don't care for the store and I think their prices are too high.

Our Basha's is located in a center that also contains a Wal-Mart. Only Basha's carries the Tabasco [tm] Garlic Pepper Sauce, and usually their Pasta Sauces are VERY reasonable.

We are members of Costco and Sam's Club...they are right across the street from one another.

Costco does at least 3 to 4 times the business of Sam's Club at that particular loation.

BTW, my understanding is that Eddie Basha is an ethnic Serb, and the Serbs took it in the neck at the hands of the Nazis in WW II.

[HungarianGypsy]

Adam, Were you here when they talked about the whole state fairgrounds thing or was that before you moved in? Your proposal would probably be the only that would make sense, since the location isn't the most useable for many things. Either that or it would go to industrial, like the rest of the area. But, the people in our area do not want anything like a Wal-Mart, because it would make "noise". They want a quiet extension of the golf course, some foo-foo shops, or approved housing. Wouldn't it be cool if they could keep the collesium, gut it out, and use that as a Wal-Mart. Now that would be something of interest.
The governor was willing to sell the property for about $2 or 3 million. Turns out the price to move the fair (Perryville was a suggestion) would cost about $50 million. It seemed too much like using a high interest credit card to pay off your bills.
If they did sell the grounds, I would hope the coliseum wouldn't be torn down, though. I think it should be part of whatever ends up there. Kind of like what happened with the Albertson's on 19 ave./Northern. Albertson's itself was the main building of a convent that was once on that spot. Everything else was taken out, and the rest of the building were built to look like that main structure.

[adam_az]

No, that was before my time.

"Wal-Marts don't make noise - people make noise!"

Actually, I think a Walmart would probably make less noise than the various events at the fairgrounds. I don't know many Walmarts that have mud tracks for jeeps and rock concerts in the parking lot. In fact, I can't think of one time I've seen that. Also, the massive parking and traffic problems we have on McDowell and 19th ave would all but dissapear.

Also, Wal Mart screens their employees, unlike the state fair which had hired a murderer as a carnie just this past year.

I would imagine that real estate has to be worth quite a bit. Everyone would benefit if it were put to an economically productive activity.

The downside, I wouldn't be walking distance from gun shows. ;)

[HungarianGypsy]

Honestly, I get upset when people say that a Wal-Mart would be bad in all cases. There's the old Tower Plaza property that became a Wal-Mart. Some of the nostalgics get upset about that, but I remember my dad wouldn't go into Tower Plaza when I lived over there because he wanted to remember how it was before. It looked pretty sad at the end. I moved into the apartments behind there right after construction was started. My only real two concerns were if the skating rink would still be there and if Don Jose's wold still be across the street (I have some priorities. LOL!) Once it was done, there really wasn't a large noise problem. Once in a while we'd hear the trucks at night, but I can hear trucks around here also. In fact, I went to a yard sale north of Thomas shortly after it opened and a lady said her property values had actually gone up and a local policeman had told her the crime rates had gone done since that property was re-built.
As for the fairgrounds, I cannot think of anything useful that could be put on that spot, except for your suggestion. I just think the louder people in this neighborhood like to complain. LOL! Am I beginning to sound bitter lately? It's three years of not complaining that's been stored up. LOL! But, you should have heard the stink about the Osco when that was put in. I was emailed to support a liquor license ban. I emailed back asking if they would also be doing the same for Safeway, or if this was just a way to keep Osco from coming in.

[wheels]

Not only is 90% of their goods made in china, but they are gigantic backers of the Clintons. They are Arkansas based, and have been dumping cash on the horrible twosome for more than 20 years.

[hsmomx3]

I think it depends on where you live.

Example. My in-laws pay about .99 cents for 8 oz. Phila. cream cheese in the grocery stores. Here where I live, it is $2.19 for the same size. At Costco, we can get 4 or 5 lbs. for 4.88. That is a bargain for us. Milk prices in our stores is around $3/gallon vs. Costco at $3.69 for two gallons. Like anything, you have to shop around.

[hsmomx3]

You are so right.

AJ's has good pizza and that's about it. I did try a Cannoli one time to see if it was as good a my Italian friend's mother's. It was expensive and wouldn't you know? It was the exact same Cannoli they sell in Bashas for a fraction of the cost. And it did not taste that great.

[mom3boys]

I loved Costco too, but when I found out their chairman and CEO contributed $95,000 each to oust Bush, I can't see myself going there anymore (I've been a member for 10 years). :(

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1072134/posts

[kaktuskid]

Eddie Basha is an ethnic Serb

The Basha family is of Lebanese origin (emigrated in 1880s)

[gaspar]

Wallmart charging 9$ a bottle for water and the public won't buy. OK. Competition forms. Then Wallmart drops the price to thirty cents. Maybe you don't understand just how cutthroat Walmart is. KMart knows, Sears knows, Home Depot knows, Ace Hardware knows, and they are not chopped liver.

[adam_az]

"Maybe you don't understand just how cutthroat Walmart is. KMart knows, Sears knows, Home Depot knows, Ace Hardware knows, and they are not chopped liver."

Walmart knows something clearly much more important than what the other guys know - how to lower transaction costs and how to have satisfied customers.

If Walmart did what you suggest, then they would anger consumers to the point that they won't shop at Walmart. That clearly hasn't happened - Walmart has no dearth of customers.

Walmart moved into groceries... All Kmart sells in that department is sour grapes.

[adam_az]

"Not only is 90% of their goods made in china, but they are gigantic backers of the Clintons. They are Arkansas based, and have been dumping cash on the horrible twosome for more than 20 years."

Can you back up that 90% figure, or is it purely speculation?

Actually, the Walton family are major RNC and Pubbie candidate contributors. Look them up on opensecrets.org.

[Lael]

The Basha family is of Lebanese origin (emigrated in 1880s)

I stand corrected...I guess I was mislead by that Serbian newspaper his stores carry.