Why so few Wal-mart/Target in LA? (Los Angeles, El Monte: rent, Home Depot)

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by bpeeps

Not because of their crappy pay and treatment of workers? But because democrats. Good game.

Have you bothered to really check into who WalMart hires? How many would be unemployed if it wasn't for WalMart and how many of their employees have been with them for years or are you just going by what you hear. How many people have you met who work for the chain or have family members who did or do?

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by UB50

That's because Walmart completely dominates the landscape in Florida. The little town I grew up in couldn't even support a Burger King for years and years. (We had the McDonalds but you had to drive to the next town over to go to Burger King.) Now they have 7 Walmarts within 20 miles. The only places to get groceries are Walmart and Publix. The area has no Costco, no Trader Joe's, no Whole Foods, and only one Target. Everybody shops at Walmart because the alternatives are 70 miles away.

I looked at the store numbers a long time ago, and Walmart had around 400 stores in Florida, most of them superstores. They only had around 200 in California, and most of them weren't superstores. Considering Florida has 1/2 the population California has and about 1/3 of the land mass, that's a lot of Walmarts.

And, have you ever looked at the number of Costcos in these states? California has over 120 Costcos. Texas and Florida each have between 20 and 30. Houston, last time I looked, had only 3 Costcos.

When people don't have choices, they are going to shop wherever they can.

I think you had better know what we are discussing before you post: WalMart has absolutely nothing to do with Costco; One is a discount store and one is a big box store. Just bcause you grew up in a region with few shopping choices has nothing to do with this either. Let me add, the part of Florida I am referring to has Whole Foods and now has Trader Joes. Not everyone who shops at WalMart buy food there, in fact most people I know shop there for other items, not food.

I really am confused why you would be comparing WalMart with Costco, can you explain this? I am sure I am not the only one confused!!!!

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by CaliDude1

I avoid Wal Mart like the plague. It's the shopping experience that keeps me out. In general the stores seem to be unorganized (compared to similar stores like Target). Help is always hard to fine. And when you find someone they are rarely of any assistance. Anything I can get from Wal Mart I can find at Costco or Target with a much better shopping experience.

now that I will agree with. I am not a huge supporter of either, but certainly not of WalMart. I still say they do not only attract the poor as some would want us to beleive, and for some things they are the best place to shop. But again, I will ask you, why are you comparing WalMart with Costco? They are totally different types of stores.


munchitup; do you base your choice in shopping on your political views? I am amazed anyone would support a retail store based on that?

Now I think I will go and bake some Christmas cookies, and I might even use flour I got at WalMart.

[BeatAngMoh]

Frankly the only three stores you need are Costco, Amazon and your neighborhood chain supermarket (Ralphs, Vons, etc.).

For electronics and household things, Best Buy is good as a showroom before you buy on Amazon. They will match Amazon and others but they can also be jerks so I use them as a showroom to check things out. Staples has also become a great place to shop given their price matching and occasional coupons.

All the other stores be it Walmart and Target only on occasion. Plus Target had the hacking issue and you can't trust their IT.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by BeatAngMoh

Frankly the only three stores you need are Costco, Amazon and your neighborhood chain supermarket (Ralphs, Vons, etc.).

For electronics and household things, Best Buy is good as a showroom before you buy on Amazon. They will match Amazon and others but they can also be jerks so I use them as a showroom to check things out. Staples has also become a great place to shop given their price matching and occasional coupons.

All the other stores be it Walmart and Target only on occasion. Plus Target had the hacking issue and you can't trust their IT.

We do not have Costco so for us it has to be Sam's but I pretty much agree with you. As I have said, I do use WalMart on occassion. Mainly when I have about 4 or 5 different dept I need to go to, like gardening, maybe pick up a bottle of wine, some meds for the dogs and a birthday card we will say. It is easier to get them all at the same place. Otherwise we use Sam's, our local grocery store that isn't a chain I will add and Amazon. When I feel like I need to splurge I love to go to Fresh Market, but that is a couple times a year and if we had Trader Joe's I would do a lot of shopping there. Oh and I forgot, we go to Aldi's about every 2 or 3 weeks, but you do not have Aldi's in California I don't think.

[ragnarkar]

Walmarts, I definitely notice the lack of them.

Targets? Are we talking about the same LA? I see them everywhere, including upscale neighborhoods.

[munchitup]

Originally Posted by nmnita

now that I will agree with. I am not a huge supporter of either, but certainly not of WalMart. I still say they do not only attract the poor as some would want us to beleive, and for some things they are the best place to shop. But again, I will ask you, why are you comparing WalMart with Costco? They are totally different types of stores.


munchitup; do you base your choice in shopping on your political views? I am amazed anyone would support a retail store based on that?

Now I think I will go and bake some Christmas cookies, and I might even use flour I got at WalMart.

No not normally and I wouldn't shop at Wal Mart normally anyways, for practical reasons I mentioned earlier in the thread. It's not necessarily politics either but labor practices I have issues with. For example I would still eat Chik Fil A though I don't go out of my way for it anymore.

I think the main reason you don't see a lot of Wal marts is that they prefer the big box format with football fields of parking, something that is not plausible in much of dense LA County.

[Taiko]

Originally Posted by munchitup

I think the main reason you don't see a lot of Wal marts is that they prefer the big box format with football fields of parking, something that is not plausible in much of dense LA County.

How is that different from Target which has stores all over LA County?

[munchitup]

Originally Posted by Taiko

How is that different from Target which has stores all over LA County?

Target is much more willing to have urban locations, I.e. West Hollywood, East Hollywood, Westwood, Pasadena, DTLA locations, even the Beverly Connection location would be deemed unfit by Wal Mart due to its tiny parking lot. Obviously there are exceptions and Targets with large parking lots - in this case I think it is because cities and residents find Target more palatable - correctly or incorrectly.

[Jimrob1]

If there are so few in the area, then where do people shop? Both stores are the 2 main General Merchandise stores in the USA. There really isn't much of anything left in this country, besides these 2 stores for that type shopping. Other than buying what you can in drug stores and the grocery stores. I don't think everyone would find going to Costco, as a practical option for shopping. If ever I saw a store designed for basically families, it's the Costco's and that type store.