Local Group Upset About New Wal-Mart (WVA Gag Alert)

The State Journal (WVA) ^ | 2/2/2006 | Julie Kroenig

[robowombat]

Local Group Upset About New Wal-Mart Posted 2/2/2006 10:22 PM

A local group does not want to see any more Wal-Mart stores in the Ohio Valley. And they are hoping to encourage others to join their fight. The Wheeling Area and Northern Panhandle Greens group thinks the opening of the Wal-Mart in Moundsville will have a negative impact on the local economy.

The newest Wal-Mart Super Center just opened its doors this week in Moundsville...and another one is set to open later this year at the Highlands at Dallas Pike. The green party says the future does not look optimistic for the Ohio Valley if more Wal-Mart stores come to the area. About 30 people gathered to learn more with the greens...by watching a movie called Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price. The greens want people to know that the people of the community are actually paying a high cost to have low prices. Tim Graves, secretary of the West Virginia Green Party says, "Our local businesses don't get the subsidies Wal-Mart gets when they move into an area." The Green Party also says the likelihood that downtown areas will recover after a Wal-Mart comes to town are slim, the group says the average job pays about $7 or $8 an hour, not enough to provide for a family, and on that kind of wage, you can not afford health insurance. Barbara Kase, a Wal-Mart Employee says, "The kind of economy we want is one where the money stays in the community. And that happens with local businesses not large corporations that come in and take the money out." But, if these jobs are so bad...then why were there only 410 openings in Moundsville, and 1700 people applied? Suzette White, a Wal-Mart Employee says, "They're good to their employees. You know, it's like a family environment, not just a place to work." In an economically depressed area, it seems people are willing to take any job, but the Green party says low prices products are not worth it. Graves says, "A product that they sell to us, for $14.95, a toy car, cost $0.18 to make. Where's that money going? Its going to the pockets of the corporation."

[robowombat]

This is so stupid it defies logic. The Moundsville area is absolutely bereft on any local merchants whose stock is anything close to WAL MART.

[wideawake]

Graves says, "A product that they sell to us, for $14.95, a toy car, cost $0.18 to make. Where's that money going? Its going to the pockets of the corporation."

Usual leftist tactic: make up numbers that defy facts and logic and repeat them ad nauseam.

[rhombus]

Graves says, "A product that they sell to us, for $14.95, a toy car, cost $0.18 to make. Where's that money going? Its going to the pockets of the corporation."

I would bet that a large part of that money goes to pay corporate taxes to line the pockets of the politicians. Is the problem that Walmart's prices are too high? ;-)

[mtbopfuyn]

Horse hockey! A Super Walmart came to a neighboring small town which has since about tripled in population. Other companies saw WM doing well, so they too have come to our little podunk spot in the road. Thank you, Walmart! We don't have to drive nearly two hours one way to the city to do weekly shopping.

[wideawake]

Well, the Greens are Marxists and they probably define the "cost" of a good by the base value of the raw materials it was manufactured from and the amount of money paid to the manufacturing worker to produce it.

Which means that they ignore transportation costs, inventory financing costs, advertising costs, sales costs, leasing costs and taxes among other things.

You are able to buy that toy truck because you heard about it, because it is available in your neighborhood and not China and because there is a heated, lighted, staffed store in which to buy it.

[Tannerone]

It would be more than fair that all persons not wanting a WM in WVA. to each contribute a small weekly amount such as $30.00 to a general care fund for those that do not have "paying" jobs in that area. Once weekly The pot is split equally to those wishing for WM employment. Any odd ball monies left over goes straight to the Salvation Army.

Note: There will be NO Administrative cost to gather and give out this money.

SO those that do not want WM to pay the present unemployed can do so themselves out of their own pocket. You anti WM nuts are jumping for joy over this suggestion are you not?

[Niteranger68]

I just love how Wal-Mart makes these people nuts! That alone is reason enough to shop there.

[YOUGOTIT]

Tim Graves, secretary of the West Virginia Green Party says "No More Wal-Mart" And as a former member of the people of eastern mountains of KY we say NO MORE left-wing fascist GREEN Idiots. They are responsible for the poverty remaining in the eastern mountains and they hate people.

[LIConFem]

It's really funny how everyone supposedly hates Wal Mart, yet the stores are always packed!

[Jack Black]

Personally I really like category killing giant chain stores. I've tried to feel bad about it, I try occassionally to go to some little rinky-dink, mom and pop alternative but am nearly always disapointed.

Sure there are some unique, one of a kind stores I go to. In fact for a few things, like guitars, I do shop at older established stores, with knowledgable sales people. But even these stores, I suspect, have upped their game because of the category killers.

[commish]

Yep it is so tragic that the people of this area now have a low price well stocked alternative to the relatively high priced low stock local stores.

[steelcurtain]

The Green Party also says the likelihood that downtown areas will recover after a Wal-Mart comes to town are slim, the group says the average job pays about $7 or $8 an hour, not enough to provide for a family, and on that kind of wage, you can not afford health insurance.

If the Greenies don't want people working at Wal-Mart, maybe they should consider building new factories to replace the steel mills that have laid off so many of the unemployed people of the Ohio Valley who now are lining up eagerly and willingly to apply for those Wal-Mart jobs. No, wait, we can't have factories or steel mills - too much air pollution. Never mind!

[CajunConservative]

Look, wouldn't Walmart and West Virginia go hand in hand??? Maybe my perceptions of West Virginia is way off but dang I figured it was already full of Walmart stores.

[Eagles Talon IV]

It is a business fact of life that the more stores opened in a locale, even within the same mall, the better all will do. When a large mall has the likes of a Target, Sears, Home Depot, Walmart, KMART etc all together it serves to draw the customers of each of these businesses to the same location and by doing so all the stores benefit from the increased traffic.

This works in all businesses including the automobile business. Mfg love to locate their franchises in close proximity to a competitor because the customer of the competitor will normally stop to check other vehicles as long as it is convenient to do so. The first step in a business being successful is to get the customer in the door and that's why the saying that the 3 most important things in the success of a business are location, location, location.

[Eagles Talon IV]

i live in MA and in the area are several "Christmas Tree Shops". Contrary to its name this is not a business that deals in only Christmas stuff but buys close outs and odd lots from all over the world. Their prices on many items are extraordinary and are always very good on the rest. I enjoy shopping there as I do Walmart because i like to save money. However i have a friend who refuses to shop there because, according to him, the merchandise is "garbage" I asked how he knew that and the answer I received was something like 'it has to be junk if it sells for so little"

It is this sort of mentality that led people in the late 1970's and into the 1980's to pay anywhere from $1000-2500 and more over list price for certain Japanese automobiles. At the time people would actually brag about how much over MSRP they had to pay to get the car they wanted. I think, in a way, some of this stupidity is inherent in the actions of the anti Walmart minions.

[GOP_Proud]

< Look, wouldn't Walmart and West Virginia go hand in hand??? Maybe my perceptions of West Virginia is way off but dang I figured it was already full of Walmart stores. >

Yes we are. Bring 'em on. I love watching the greenies lose.

BTW, If your perception of us is "lower income" then you are correct. But Walmarts are big and numerous everywhere they go, not just WV.

[Niteranger68]

I think, in a way, some of this stupidity is inherent in the actions of the anti Walmart minions.

Truth spoken!

[mdmathis6]

The local Walmart jobs here in Midlothian start around 10 to 11 an hour(the cola is a little higher here), still 7 or 8 doesn't sound right any more. I think the groups are shaving the truth just a bit!

[CajunConservative]

I live in a similar rural kind of area. (it's more of a state of mind KWIM) That's the nice way to put it ;) Anyway, several years ago the city I live in was supposed to build this new huge regional mall. They purchased land and I thought cool, lots of new places to shop. Well I moved away and did not keep up with the progress of the mall. I move back and instead of a new huge mall it was a Super Walmart. We now have four in about a ten mile radius. The mall still sucks.

The thing that will do Walmart in is the fact that their stores are huge and with the aging of the population many of the older folks will go to smaller sized stores. Can you imagine all the boomers on scooters in a few years?

[jdhljc169]

BTW, If your perception of us is "lower income" then you are correct. But Walmarts are big and numerous everywhere they go, not just WV.
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And lower cost of living as compared to bigger cities and/or other areas of the country.