Quote:
Originally Posted by Chris Creech
It will bring a few low paying jobs, but also drive any local mom and pops out of business. WalMart is notorious from dropping prices, even below profit levels, when they first move into an area. Then once they eliminate the competition they can jack prices back up. WalMart also pulls money OUT of communities, where supporting local mom & pops keeps not only jobs, but profits and spending local as well.
Another way WalMart descimates neighborhoods is by opening up several locations close to each other, putting local businesses under, the consolidating locations. Vine City could see WalMart come in, force out local businesses, then once they have the market consolidate and close that store. Leaving the area with NO retail and forcing residents to travel to other area WalMarts.
I would do everything possible to keep WalMart out of these intown neighborhoods. The promise of a few low wage part-time jobs with no benefits is not worth it. The Walton family doesn't hold 4 spots on America's 10 most wealthy list for nothing. They have descimated american retail, consumers and suppliers.
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As I said, I detest Wal-Mart and don't shop there, but I think this is generally good for the area. The City of Atlanta and the neighborhood have been trying for nearly 20 years to get something to happen here, and has spent millions in public funds to unsuccessfully encourage it, as evident by the closure of Publix and all other businesses are "Historic Westside Village."
Some other factors that make me support this are that:
1. There are no existing businesses in Vine City that will be hurt because there are NO retailers in Vine City. The areas that could be harmed the most are likely West End and South Peachtree Street (Five Points). Since most businesses in the latter areas are owned by suburban owners who have no stake in the neighborhood, I have no sympathy for them. In my mind a Lilburn mom and pop owner is no better than Wal-mart, and at least Wal-Mart has better hours and return policies.
2. The store is going to be tiny by Wal-Mart standards, so it will fit better into the neighborhood's urban fabric.
3. The store is on a train line, and its location will reduce travel time for current Wal-Mart customers. The only option for accessing Wal-Mart now is to take the #12 bus to the store on Howell Mill Road, which adds an hour to the trip on the best of days. I use #12 is ALWAYS packed with Wal-Mart customers heading back to the Midtown train station. I bet many of them can use this new store instead.
For me, this is a case where the "public has the right to be wrong." The people in Vine City want this, and there is no other comparable way to immediately serve community needs. More significantly, Vine City has tried dozens of other options (micro-business loans, business incubators, rent subsidies, etc.) to no avail. If Wal-Mart can't make it, I don't know what will.
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