It's "official" - hello Wal-Mart (Portland, Salem: insurance, house)

[Random_Walk]

I can definitely give props to Bi-Mart; it's been so long since I'd been near enough to one (I still have my membership card somewhere), but I definitely remember that the prices were excellent for good stuff.

Now if you want a perfect example of the other end of things (dirt-cheap prices and dirt-cheap quality), I heartily recommend you visit Harbor Freight Tools. The prices are in the basement, but at the same time so is the quality in many cases... most homeowners/consumers won't ever use the stuff you'd buy here hard enough to break them, but they wouldn't last a day in the hands of a pro (or anyone who would need to make a living off of them).

[tigerlily]

There will be a Wal-Mart opening up in May on NW Cornell and 173rd. WM took over the Ashley furniture store location when it went out of business. At least it's a not a super store. Save Cedar Mill did an admirable keeping a superstore from opening on Barnes and Cedar Hill a few years ago, but you can't fight city hall any more.

[Random_Walk]

Isn't the one on Cornell just the grocery store, though? I didn't realize it would be a full-blown supercenter.

(not sure how they'd compete offhand against Target, which is firmly enclosed in the massive Tanasborne district... then again, Target always had a hard time providing a big selection of stuff...)

[hamellr]

Originally Posted by Random_Walk

Isn't the one on Cornell just the grocery store, though? I didn't realize it would be a full-blown supercenter.

(not sure how they'd compete offhand against Target, which is firmly enclosed in the massive Tanasborne district... then again, Target always had a hard time providing a big selection of stuff...)

Yes, it and the one one Murray are both supposed to be just Walmart Grocery stores. Neither location is zoned for a big enough building to be a regular or even SuperWalmart.

BTW, Walmart also apparently bought the Hagens building in Tannasbourne when they bought the one on Murray. I always assumed they were going to build there, not the other location.

[Skippy Weaselpants]

According to the city, there will be $4,000,000 worth of traffic improvements required for this development and, of course, Wal-Mart will be paying for all of it.

There's some talk around town about a change in ODOT policy (or possibly state law) since the original plan was approved a few years ago that might also require Wal-Mart to build a median strip on highway 99W in that area, which would also help traffic flow.

I wonder if Larry Galizio will return to Tigard to head up any opposition to the development like he did last time. Yeah - right.

[Random_Walk]

Originally Posted by hamellr

Yes, it and the one one Murray are both supposed to be just Walmart Grocery stores. Neither location is zoned for a big enough building to be a regular or even SuperWalmart.

BTW, Walmart also apparently bought the Hagens building in Tannasbourne when they bought the one on Murray. I always assumed they were going to build there, not the other location.

That makes sense... and the old Haggen's location would make a lot more sense when it comes to traffic flow, instead of the old Ashley location (which would just clog up Cornell). I mean, they're both just off Cornell St, so it's not like Wal-Mart would be missing out on Tanasborne shopper traffic either way.

(I used to shop the Haggen's @ Tanasborne all the way up to its closing. It was a little pricier than the Safeway nearby, but their produce was always better, and the folks there were a lot friendlier. The employees there had all mentioned that Haggen's kept that store open for 2-3 years longer than they should have, preferring to keep the folks there employed for awhile longer in spite of losing money on that location for as long as they had).

[Minervah]

No matter how you feel about Wal Mart you will get a laugh out of this.

http://www.youtube.com/v/6RzcvFLPg1A?version=3%22%3E%3Cparam

[Skippy Weaselpants]

BTW - Wal-Mart has hired a Portland P.R. firm to handle open meetings with the public prior to construction. I guess they feel they need this.

[Minervah]

Originally Posted by Skippy Weaselpants

BTW - Wal-Mart has hired a Portland P.R. firm to handle open meetings with the public prior to construction. I guess they feel they need this.

Good thinking on their part but I wonder how they will handle it.

Safeway just built a huge store on their old site on 27th and Hawthorne. The people living in the neighboring blocks are furious. They wanted some dialogue regarding where loading docks and parking would be placed so as not to be disturbing to the people living around the store but Safeway wouldn't consent to meetings.

There is a long article about this in the Southeast Examiner from one of the people who live near the new store. Safeway sounds like real stinkers who did not and still do not give a tinker's damn about its neighbors.

[tickyul]

Originally Posted by EnricoV

By "shrinkage" I'm assuming you mean employee theft? Baaaad WalMart.

UMMMM, yeah....that happens at every store, not just Walmart.