I'm in the same boat as Java. I used to live in a suburban area South of Seattle where there was ONE walmart in our "neighborhood" for a population of about 240,000. Sure there were other Walmarts but they were in neighboring suburbs of Seattle, with their own populations..
It was extraordinarily packed 20 out of 24 hours in a day, ridiculously packed. Half the shit that came out of that store was stolen, it seemed..

What I don't understand is that where I live now, the tri-city population is hovering around 120,000 and that's including all the very outskirts of our neighborhoods, like the poeple who would have to drive 2 hours just to get into town. And we've got 3 Walmarts going on 4 (4th will be finished in 2009). My opinions have slightly changed since moving here, since these Walmarts are not so crowded, and half of them are brand new and extremely clean and organized. Small town, so I know a lot of the employees who work for them, overnight stockers make a GOOD paycheck for the work, and upr level management (which is NOT hard to get into with Walmart) makes upwards of 17/hr with guaranteed 40hr work weeks, plus overtime (which would be 34 dollars per hour for all you math majors out there).

I was talking to a former co-worker who started to work for them as a dept manager/head (whatever they're called). He was making $17.50 which is not bad money for 20-21 year olds who are used to the hustle and bustle of retail slave labor for wages more like $7-10/hr.
I asked him, "do you get a discount?"
And he said "yea, 10%."
I said, "aww, that kinds sucks."
And he replied, "Yea but it's 10% off everything in the world..."


Why does our town have, or need 4 walmarts? I have no idea. We have two of everything else, it probably just makes sense ..to someone.
I haven't seen all those movies you guys are talking about though, so my opinions are not yet jaded..

 

I shop at walmart all the time. I don't really care if smaller stores can't compete. I look out for myself and not for someone who has a minimum wage job because they did not go to college.

 

oh and to answer your question, I do not regulary shop at Walmart (even though there are soon to be 4 different ones I could each get to within 15 minutes of driving).

I have in the past gone there to pick up the occasional broom, or cheap vacuum, or rake because I know they are super effin cheap and I know they'll break within a month or so but really need a cheap, quick, easy solution to the project at hand..

I have no desire to shop there regularly, ESPECIALLY for their food (produce). Yeck, I don't trust their produce..

 

^^^^ ditto

i shop at walmart all the time. always will, always have..

i shop where stuff is the best value. im not gonna pay more to get the same stuff somewhere else.

for example, one thing that i buy at walmart.. 72 pack of kraft american cheese slices.... 14$ at smiths/kroger.... 9$ at walmart.

walmart FTW.

 

i go to walmart on the regular...not for food (comminsary)...

regardless nothing is made american anymore...everything is coming out of China

 

^^^^ Walmart is not the devil, but i do not agree with alot of things this corporate giant does. It screws alot of small businesses. but hey, If could afford to buy my annoying neighbors house out from under them. i would... friggen douches....

 

We shop at walmart as well but only for somethings.

90 percent of our purchases are shoes/ clothes (cause I tend to ruin them quick and don't want to pay top $), DVDs, and food.

We shop and support local stores about the same as we would walmart, but somethings are just alot cheaper there than other places.

 

kraft american cheese slices FTL

 

i never said walmart was the devil...i said i shop there on the regular

 

I do not shop at Wal-Mart.

I've been inside a Wal-Mart probably 5 times in the last 2 years.