Why are there no discount department stores and no power centers in San Francisco? (San Mateo: houses, to buy)

[Tallysmom]

Originally Posted by 18Montclair

Wow, so idealistic.

I tend to agree with everything you say but in practice, I must confess that I like shopping at WalMart(people in Upper Rockridge would never forgive me if they found out(LOL)). Its just so EASY-plus there are two 2 freeway exits apart(Hegenberger, Davis). Now there's a new one off of Hesperian. What is one to do.

I don't really have to shop there, but its so darn cheap.

The Davis one is REAL easy to give a miss... they are located about 1/4 mile from the Davis Street Transfer Station.

That's the nice name for the dump.

And that wonderful dump smell that even the thought of makes my stomach lurch seems to always be there lingering in the air....

But not at the Costco. The Costco smells fine.

[bellalunatic]

Originally Posted by PeixeGato

There was a time I would have agreed with this. While I hate what Walmart represents and how they run their business, I once visited one (got a gift certificate for my son from relatives in North Carolina) and as I looked at who was shopping there, I realized that the majority of the people who shop there do so because the NEED to, not because they WANT to. If you are working 60 hours per week making $8 per hour with no benefits, Walmart is about the only store where you can afford to feed and clothe your family. Its a sad reality that Walmart has exploited.

Again, I personally would never choose to shop there, but I can now understand why some people do, and I can't pass judgement on them for doing so.

So what, they get your pity?

Most people, including many critics of big box stores like WalMart, take it for granted that these stores deliver on their promises of low prices...which are the stores primary selling point. Consumer's perceptions of prices and actual prices are not necessarily the same thing.
Duncan Simester from MIT's Sloan School of Management and Northwestern University Marketing professor Eric Anderson have determined through much research that most consumers are not particularly informed about prices.
"Remarkably, they rely on retailers to tell them whether they're getting a good price."


Also,

Did you consider the fact that a great number of people shopping at WalMart also work there? They're own employees get 'trapped' by the lack of pay and the lack of benefits, not to mention the whole WalMart "banking" (check cashing with a nice big fee for their 'associates') thing they've got going too. Now that deserves some real change. (no pun intended).

[the city]

Discount Department stores are walmart, target, kmart, kohl's, jcpenney, burlington coat factory, sears, etc...

Power centers are shopping strip malls. Basically the centers with those type of stores.

Big-box stores r like bed bath n beyond, staples, petco, best buy, office max, big 5, etc...

San Luis Obispo and San Francisco have similar downtowns.

San Luis Obispo County doesn't have any regional malls. San Francisco County doesn't have any power centers.

San Francisco does have two enclosed malls, two theme/festival center (Metreon and Pier 39), and then they are building an outlet center.

San Luis Obispo County only has an outlet center. There are many power centers in the county though.

[PeixeGato]

Originally Posted by bellalunatic

So what, they get your pity?

Most people, including many critics of big box stores like WalMart, take it for granted that these stores deliver on their promises of low prices...which are the stores primary selling point. Consumer's perceptions of prices and actual prices are not necessarily the same thing.
Duncan Simester from MIT's Sloan School of Management and Northwestern University Marketing professor Eric Anderson have determined through much research that most consumers are not particularly informed about prices.
"Remarkably, they rely on retailers to tell them whether they're getting a good price."


Also,

Did you consider the fact that a great number of people shopping at WalMart also work there? They're own employees get 'trapped' by the lack of pay and the lack of benefits, not to mention the whole WalMart "banking" (check cashing with a nice big fee for their 'associates') thing they've got going too. Now that deserves some real change. (no pun intended).

I'm sorry but I seem to have missed your point and how it relates to what I said. Its not about pity, its about understanding someone's situation.

[uptown_urbanist]

Originally Posted by the city

Discount Department stores are walmart, target, kmart, kohl's, jcpenney, burlington coat factory, sears, etc...

Power centers are shopping strip malls. Basically the centers with those type of stores.

Big-box stores r like bed bath n beyond, staples, petco, best buy, office max, big 5, etc...

San Luis Obispo and San Francisco have similar downtowns.

San Luis Obispo County doesn't have any regional malls. San Francisco County doesn't have any power centers.

San Francisco does have two enclosed malls, two theme/festival center (Metreon and Pier 39), and then they are building an outlet center.

San Luis Obispo County only has an outlet center. There are many power centers in the county though.

I think this is the first time I have ever heard anyone say that SLO and SF have similar downtowns. In what way?

Have you spent much time in SF?

[the city]

Originally Posted by uptown_urbanist

I think this is the first time I have ever heard anyone say that SLO and SF have similar downtowns. In what way?

Have you spent much time in SF?

Both are walk-able downtowns. Both have regional mall tenets in their downtowns, and both have upscale franchise clothing stores. Also, both are mix-used downtowns where people live, work, shop, and dine in the downtown. San Francisco's downtown is alot bigger and has higher population density, but it's similar to SLO's downtown by some areas are dedicated to residential, some to offices and government buildings, and some areas are just for clothing stores and franchise stores. San Luis Obispo has Higuera Street where the regional mall tenets and other franchises are at, then there's Santa Rosa where more of the government buildings are, and then there are areas in downtown just for business offices. Kind of like San Francisco has Union Square for shopping, Financial District for offices, and an area for their government buildings.

And, last Summer I spent 3 days in San Francisco. And so I can say that I see similarities between the downtowns.

[hsw]

SF indeed is a weird mix of communist small town, tourist trap, yuppie suburb, small financial dt, etc

Many who live and work in SF simply drive down to Palo Alto area on wkends to get groceries at Draeger's, other stuff at Stanford Shopping Ctr...or down to Santana Row in SJ....to find more competent grocery stores, wine stores, clothing retailers, etc in a more pleasing setting w/spacious parking than one can find in City of SF

PA area tends to be anti-big box retailers (like SF), but my sense is SJ area is more efficient in allowing classic suburban, oversized, cheap retailers

Same dynamic in Manhattan...on wkends, many drive out of Manhattan into NJ suburbs to find modern, convenient, cheaper grocery stores, retailers, etc (and benefit from NJ's lower sales tax or no sales tx on clothing)

[bellalunatic]

Originally Posted by hsw

SF indeed is a weird mix of communist small town, tourist trap, yuppie suburb, small financial dt, etc

Many who live and work in SF simply drive down to Palo Alto area on wkends to get groceries at Draeger's, other stuff at Stanford Shopping Ctr...or down to Santana Row in SJ....to find more competent grocery stores, wine stores, clothing retailers, etc in a more pleasing setting w/spacious parking than one can find in City of SF

PA area tends to be anti-big box retailers (like SF), but my sense is SJ area is more efficient in allowing classic suburban, oversized, cheap retailers

Same dynamic in Manhattan...on wkends, many drive out of Manhattan into NJ suburbs to find modern, convenient, cheaper grocery stores, retailers, etc (and benefit from NJ's lower sales tax or no sales tx on clothing)

LMAO! drives from SF down to SJ or PA to get groceries from Draeger's??? you are a hoot! no one does that...please do explain how people drive into SF to shop for clothing and you may actually have a point....

'hsw' you should go to planning school in SLO with 'the city'.

[jman650]

Originally Posted by hsw

SF indeed is a weird mix of communist small town, tourist trap, yuppie suburb, small financial dt, etc

Many who live and work in SF simply drive down to Palo Alto area on wkends to get groceries at Draeger's, other stuff at Stanford Shopping Ctr...or down to Santana Row in SJ....to find more competent grocery stores, wine stores, clothing retailers, etc in a more pleasing setting w/spacious parking than one can find in City of SF

PA area tends to be anti-big box retailers (like SF), but my sense is SJ area is more efficient in allowing classic suburban, oversized, cheap retailers

Same dynamic in Manhattan...on wkends, many drive out of Manhattan into NJ suburbs to find modern, convenient, cheaper grocery stores, retailers, etc (and benefit from NJ's lower sales tax or no sales tx on clothing)

Ignore this nonsense. SF residents regularly shop in SF and do not bother driving 40 minutes south to Palo Alto to go grocery shopping b/c that would be idiotic. If any SF residents leave the city limits on a regular basis for basic shopping it would be to go to Target in Daly City/Colma, which is right outside SF's borders.

[bellalunatic]

Originally Posted by PeixeGato

I'm sorry but I seem to have missed your point and how it relates to what I said. Its not about pity, its about understanding someone's situation.

Which part is confusing?