Walmart might not come to New York... hopefully (Valley Stream, Ridge: to buy, restaurants)

[Kefir King]

Those who want to attack WALLMART, if they want to be logical, can do so only on the basis of: IF YOU WANT TO SELL IT HERE, THEN MAKE IT HERE.
This is protectionism, as valid a concept as the free market, both of which can and do present argumuments that hold water. Free Market is the usual paragigm for the go-go years and when the scheme collapses...as it always does, then Protectionism become popular during the ensuing Depression...as it always does.

But the core of the problem is really the unsustainability of wage differentials in a global economy. Even Adam Smith got that right...if little else.
So if people make $40,000 a year in a free global econony to make widgets in country A but those in country B making $10,000 a year to do the same will get ALL the jobs until everyone is making $25,000.
If one want to condemn Wallmart for selling goods made with cheap labor then one should have hollered when they shut Bethlehem Steel 3 decades ago, when they sold the first Honda in the United States, or when the decision was made to make ZERO televisions (perhaps the biggest market this decade) in the United States. Anyone have a Dell computer made in Mexico? or China?

Basically what I am saying is the ship has sailed, the horse has bolted, the genie has escaped the bottle and Pandora has opened the box, and assailing Wallmart now is rather pointless and silly.

If we want protectionism, then lets have it...allow for sale nothing in the U.S. that isn't made here and seal our borders to all immigrant labor, Visa or not, legal or not. But to pick on a single company in a global free market is fruitless and as we see, totally useless.
Wallmart will only be kept out if it decides that real estate is too expensive to build a proper store here.

I must think selfishly here...I need cheap goods beause I have no job so I will shop at Wallmart if it is convenient. It is morally no better or worse than its higher priced competition. Having a Walmart banned in New York will not add a SINGLE job to the U.S. economy. Again selfishly, if I am going to be subjected to the perils of the Free Market (nobody asked me whether I wanted it) shouldn't I at least get some very limited benefits from low pricing. A small price to pay for having given away all the U.S. jobs.

I applauded Home Depot's arrival under similar circumstances: "Oh the horrors of closing the mon and pop hardware stores." But now I can buy an electrical outlet for $.75 instead of for $7.50, a doorlock for $30 instead of $100.

If the jobs are all going to disappear, then send "mom and pop" along with them.

[Brooklyn_Native]

Originally Posted by omigawd

Oh, PUH-LEEESE..... Every single retailer from the A&P to Macy*s treats it's staff like crap ---- minimum wage or barely above, no real benefits, no real promotions or anything else. It's all bullcrap. The only reason WalMart is the one with the "bad rep" is because they're the largest retailer in the nation. Other companies are jealous and afraid and they put out little "stories" about Wal Mart via the internet, television or any other way possible.

Bullcrap also to the "statistic" that for every job Wal Mart offers, 2 are destroyed. NONSENSE. I would love to see who created this "statistic"...


There is no reason Wal Mart shouldn't be in Bklyn or anywhere else in NYC>

Thank-you!

[hotblue78]

Weeeeeeee!!!!! I love Walmart , . But nobody.complains about Kmart? Is almost the same. Bringing walmart to NY will fix a lot of unemployment issues , plus standard price in the markets . The only problem the city will take what is for them convinience .... Taxes ......

[nykiddo718718]

My real concern is how they integrate this development into the neighborhood. We don't need a suburban style big box store surrounded by a large parking lot. Mass transit access is key, they real dropped the ball on a few of these developments across the city (i.e. Home Depo in the Castle Hill section of the Bronx). Hopefully it will be similar to this Harris Teeter.

[Kefir King]

Originally Posted by nykiddo718718

My real concern is how they integrate this development into the neighborhood. We don't need a suburban style big box store surrounded by a large parking lot. Mass transit access is key, they real dropped the ball on a few of these developments across the city (i.e. Home Depo in the Castle Hill section of the Bronx). Hopefully it will be similar to this Harris Teeter.

Exactly... what is needed is an immense Wallmart and a small parking lot sitting atop a subway stop. (They could call the station SAM'S STOP)

They were faily sensible with the COSTCO-TARGET complex on 117th and East River...it is a block away from the frequently running SELECT or LOCAL M15 bus running up First Ave..
The BJ's complex in the BRONX is not so conveniently placed.

In Home Depot's defense, you cannot get too much better placement than across the street from BLOOMINGALES or down on 23rd and Sixth...both geared 100% to non-driving shoppers.

[nightcrawler]

I want walmart !!!!!

[SobroGuy]

Actually I think the BJs (aka Gateway Mall) is far more conveniently placed than East River Plaza on 116. The Gateway Mall has a MetroNorth stop a couple blocks away, several bus lines into Manhattan and across the Bronx, as well as the Express 2/4/5 trains a couple blocks away. Plus you can easily get on and off the highway to access the Mall...how exactly do you access East River Plaza traveling northbound on the FDR? There is no exit nor markers to show you how to get there!

[Kefir King]

The Gateway Mall has a MetroNorth stop a couple blocks away,

It really isn't "a couple blocks away"..it's a LOT farther...I know, I walked it from the 149th St. subway last month. If it were closer, I would choose BJ's over COSTCO becasue the prices are similar and only BJ's carries the MichaelAngelo brand of frozen products that I LOVE (the Chicken Piccatta is far better than most Italian Restaurants.) Getting back to the train I searched for buses and everyone told me, sorry, outta luck. WHY they don't send a bus up that large fronting street (Grand Ave???) I'll never know.



East River Plaza is pretty much foot traffic, as it should be, so it might be more of a hassle for those zooming up the FDR in a Lexus. Those with cars can go to better BJ's and better COSTCO's in NJ.

But if one is deperate for access from the FDR I suppose exits at either 102nd or 125th will fill the bill and then up or down a half mile will do the trick to get to 117th? I'd hate to think EVERY store available in Manhattan had a sign or an exit on the FDR...it would look worse than Times Square. The TARGET is also a big plus for East River. Access for Manhattanites driving up First Avenue is a piece of cake although I'm not sure what they charge for parking.
I will grant that if one wants only a subway, the walk from 116th and Lex is as bad as the walk from 149th in the Bronx.
The Second Avenue Line, if and when, will enhance the East River Plaza.

But I agree with NYKIDDO here...these mega stores should be matched to mass transit access in NYC, that's the way we travel...leave the mega-parking lots and traffic jams to AKRON and PEORIA.

[RoyalChubsta]

I'm a HUGE Walmart fan and honestly I'm getting tired of driving to NJ (b4 it was white plains) to go get a bang for my buck on food shopping and other household items (especially when u have a baby)

I think bringing Walmart to NYC will be a good idea.. I do online shopping too and walmart is #1 on my bookmarks... I think it will create jobs and I will def think about venturing into retail or some aspect of working for walmart if they come into NYC. Also, I agree with omigawd about how other retailers even non retailers treat or underpay their employees... I was shocked to find out macys paid just a tad bit over min wage for their sales associates (WTH?!) This store being soo fancy and all can't afford to pay a lil more? I'm all for walmart in NYC!!

[LegalDiva]

Originally Posted by mrtracey

I live near the Queens/Nassau border on the Queens side and I am about 5 minutes away from the Valley Stream Walmart. Most (huge percentage) of the customers at the Valley Stream store are actually from Queens and Brooklyn. This has caused this Walmart to endure the negativity it has received. The unfortunate death of the worker on Black Friday was caused by this crowd -- how much of a savage can you be for something that is 97 cents. Now I know I am going to get some flack on this, but go to any of the Wal-marts further out on Long Island away from Queens and Brooklyn and you will see a huge difference in the customer base.

Please let them open the store in Brooklyn so these clowns can stop coming to my neighborhood and ruining it. Like it or not, but the truth is the truth. It is to the point where the people that live near the Valley Stream store on both the Eastern Queens and Western Nassau sides won't even go there, we rather drive to the Westbury or Massapequa Wal-marts. I will probably get some flack on this too, from the Eastern Queens/Western Nassau people, for giving away our secret locations.

Besides, the opening of the Brooklyn store would keep their tax dollars in NYC and would provide jobs as well.

This thread is too long for me to read but this comment struck a chord with me because I thought my husband and I were the only weird ones who drove to Westbury or Farmingdale to access Walmart even though the Valley Stream Walmart is 15 min from us. The fact is, I avoid all the stores at Green Acres because 9 times out of 10, my shopping experience there is terrible because of the demographics. I had the unfortunate luck of going to that Walmart a few weeks ago because I needed something quickly and the ghetto-ness of the customers pushing me and shoving me in the aisles just to get their items completely turned me off..For that reason, I avoid all those stores like the plague.

I hope Walmart comes to NYC, I can think of a few locations in Queens where it will do a lot of good. I think the whole argument about Walmart destroying mom and pop stores is bogus, its basic competition..if another business offers lower prices - then guess what, customers are going to go there - regardless of whether its Costco, Walmart, BJs or a 99 cents no name store. Business is business. NYC needs to get w/ the program.