Wal-Mart opens first Georgia grocery store (Atlanta, Fargo: neighborhood, buying, incomes)

[LynnHarris]

I wonder if this is the beginning of a new trend for Wal-Mart...

Wal-Mart opens first Georgia grocery store *| ajc.com

[gt6974a]

Well, they have mediocre produce at best and their meat is the worst I've ever had. But they do get tons of shoppers.

[ATLTJL]

I have no problem buying packaged foods at Wal-Mart. I mean, I generally don't because the lines there are crazy and I just feel a little dirty there....but I will occasionally go and purchase packaged items, cleaning supplies, etc.

I don't think I'd ever buy deli items there. A couple of years ago I graduated from packaged deli meats to having fresh cuts sliced at the actual deli and the difference is enourmous, so I doubt I could go back. I have bought produce there before and was decently satisfied, but I probably am just not very picky about my produce.

I'm not sure if I would trust their meats, though. I don't like nationally packaged meat and I wouldn't trust the butcher at Wal-Mart to be as trained on safe handling as a place like Publix or even Kroger.

But from a purely business standpoint, Wal-Mart seems to be doing a very smart thing and going after new markets. I think you will see Wal-Mart really go after the whole organic angle and make organic food affordable for everyone. I'm nto saying they are going to drive Whole Foods out of business, but I think you'll see a lot more people buying organic when it is all of a sudden no more expensive than conventional food. Wal-Mart has the power to drive prices that way, and I think that's part of their plan. Wouldn't it be nice to see Wal-Mart be an agent of healthier eating habits for people of lower incomes?

[kira kira]

Originally Posted by LynnHarris

I wonder if this is the beginning of a new trend for Wal-Mart...

Wal-Mart opens first Georgia grocery store *| ajc.com

They have been in Texas for several years and do very well. Although I also prefer not to buy my meat from Walmart, I enjoyed the convenience that these stores provided. Unlike the regular Walmart, you can get in and out of these stores very quickly and easily. I view it as a good thing for the Atlanta market.

[debzkidz]

We've got them here on Oklahoma as well. I was in one yesterday. There not bad, but that's all I can say. They are convenient and small, so they are easy to shop. They do not have a huge selection, but they cover the basics. Great for stopping to pick up a few things. They will however sometimes be a bit more expensive than a regular Walmart Supercenter grocery store. You are paying for the convenience. But they are still cheaper than most other stores.

[PKCorey]

Originally Posted by gt6974a

Well, they have mediocre produce at best and their meat is the worst I've ever had. But they do get tons of shoppers.

Yea, their produce is terrible and their meat cuts are underwhelming.

ATLTJL, I don't believe, Wal Mart has butcher on site anymore. That's why they closed the meat and fish counters at the super centers. The meat and fish are trucked in and just put on the shelf.

I thought, it would open earlier. When I visited Wing Stop and Wells Fargo in the shopping center, it seemed the remodeling was already completed in May.

[tikigod311]

I shopped, a few times, at one of these neighborhood markets in HousTon.always made me laugh cause they had all these pictures of old storefronts along a classic American main street. SERIOUSLY! You depict the very businesses you made obsolete? It was almost as if they were mocking them...

I'm not anti wal-mart btw, just found that to be beyond ironic

[ATLTJL]

Well, I understand the logic there.

But to be fair, Wal-Mart does have humble beginnings as a simple five and dime in a tiny town.

If you think that any classic storefront in any town in America wouldn't achieve a Wal-Mart level of success if it could, well....

[atlantagreg30127]

There are five Wal-marts within a six mile radius of my house. All of them have grocery stores. While I'm sure that not every single corner of North Georgia is saturated exactly as much as this (yet), I don't see how they need to do separate grocery stores on top of what they already have. Especially considering the typical quality of some of the food. I'd rather see a Whole Foods or a good farmer's market in my area.

[nortonguy]

Originally Posted by LynnHarris

I wonder if this is the beginning of a new trend for Wal-Mart...

Wal-Mart opens first Georgia grocery store *| ajc.com

This is a trend across the US, and it's break ground in Augusta next year. A neighborhood market(40k sq. ft.) is a development off 15th street in the Medical District..