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Well - since it happen in the 90s, I'd suggest it is time to move on. Sometimes you have to let things go and this seems to be a good example. It is - what it is.
Fair enough... so flash forward to today... I'd hate to see a Sam's Club open in Hilo, because as a member of the Walmart family it would just perpetuate all they do that is harmful to communities.
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Originally Posted by whtviper1
I hate to break it to you - but 16% population growth since 1990 lags the state by quite a bit in that time period.
I'm not stuck with that figure, it was just a back of the napkin guess. The point I was trying to make, whatever the actual growth numbers might be, is that the wholesale shift from locally owned small businesses to mainland corporate big box stores is not healthy for a community. It is perhaps time to throttle the behemoths back a little... and find ways to encourage more local business to flourish... as many communities around the country are beginning to do.
Fair enough... so flash forward to today... I'd hate to see a Sam's Club open in Hilo, because as a member of the Walmart family it would just perpetuate all they do that is harmful to communities...
Male Bovine Excrement.
What has Costco done to the Kona community? I believe Costco has done way more harm to Kona than could ever be attributed to Walmart. Costco sells fruit, vegetables, meat... Walmart on the Big Island, both locations, doesn't. Costco is pulling money from the local farmer's markets with their cheap fruits and vegetables, which have been having a surprising number of listeria and other disease recalls lately. I know because Costco sends an email and phones you with every recall, advising you to throw away what you purchased. They track everything you buy.
Costco also employs far fewer people than it needs to, which is immediately evident if you go to the Kona store. It doesn't matter if they do pay a little more per hour or not, they employ fewer people than they really need.
On the plus for Costco, they employ a higher caliber of person than Walmart does. However, Walmart, by employing new to the workforce, unskilled and uneducated people for entry-level jobs, is doing all of us a favor in that regard. If Walmart didn't hire them, who would? Oh wait! The taxpayer would employ them with the myriad of welfare benefits that they would have received.
Well - since it happen in the 90s, I'd suggest it is time to move on. Sometimes you have to let things go and this seems to be a good example. It is - what it is.
Its easy to fall back on that and not learn from mistakes. And im kinda getting tired of you pushing this rich corporate/mass redevelopement and gentrafication/mainlandfication ideal as the norm in hawaii and how everyone wants this. Its garbage and so far from reality. Eventually its accepted when its forced on communities and there is no alternative, but thats really not saying its ok. Most locals are opposed to real change in there communities. But like everything else. Money talks. Every community has had protests, petitions, lawsuits against bigbox and big development to be ignored. Im sick of hearing about getting into reality when we are so far from it pushing this as what everyone wants.
Come on man, lets get real you drink from the walmart cooler dont you? Your a stockholder if i remember you saying before? There not much room for objectivity right?
I owned Walmart stock years back. I sold too soon. Oh well.
As I told a couple others here via private message today (who applauded my posts) I only go there for motor oil cause they sell it way cheaper than the local NAPA, O'Reilly parts stores. I change my own oil in all my vehicles.
I actually hate going into the store. Too crowded, especially near the 3rd and 5th of the month - EBT (food stamp) days.
I owned Walmart stock years back. I sold too soon. Oh well.
As I told a couple others here via private message today (who applauded my posts) I only go there for motor oil cause they sell it way cheaper than the local NAPA, O'Reilly parts stores. I change my own oil in all my vehicles.
I actually hate going into the store. Too crowded, especially near the 3rd and 5th of the month - EBT (food stamp) days.
And dont get me wrong uncle ok, Im not anti walmart, rich, no development or growth or haoles lol. What im against is treating people badly, greed, poor development planning, a lack of awareness of cause and effect behavior. Just to keep it simple its not the business or people its behavior and thinking.
Heard comcast in the near future will be great stock.
What has Costco done to the Kona community? I believe Costco has done way more harm to Kona than could ever be attributed to Walmart. Costco sells fruit, vegetables, meat... Walmart on the Big Island, both locations, doesn't. Costco is pulling money from the local farmer's markets with their cheap fruits and vegetables, which have been having a surprising number of listeria and other disease recalls lately.
Makes no sense... since Costco is importing fruits and vegetables from California and selling them cheap, how does that compete with farmer's markets, which are supposed to be selling only local Hawai'i grown?* If anything, Costco is actually competing with local supermarkets, who are also importing and selling the same kind of imported goods.
Costco also employs far fewer people than it needs to, which is immediately evident if you go to the Kona store. It doesn't matter if they do pay a little more per hour or not, they employ fewer people than they really need.
Costco's ratio of employees to customers is well documented to be higher than Walmarts, while the persistent complaints about Walmart severely understaffing their stores come from both customers and employees. Remember, Walmart is generally hated by its employees, while Costco is highly regarded by theirs. The differences go far deeper than mere wages...
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Another differentiating factor for Costco is the company´s atypical human resources policies and corporate culture: Costco pays higher salaries than the competition, the company offers more generous benefits like health care and 401-K plans and it provides more opportunities for professional growth and promotion to employees of different levels.
Attracting and retaining the best talent in the industry has important implications for the competitive dynamic in the sector, and it also means more profitability for shareholders on a long-term basis. In the words of the company's CEO, Craig Jelinek, as quoted in a Businessweek interview:
"We know it's a lot more profitable in the long term to minimize employee turnover and maximize employee productivity, commitment and loyalty"
On the plus for Costco, they employ a higher caliber of person than Walmart does. However, Walmart, by employing new to the workforce, unskilled and uneducated people for entry-level jobs, is doing all of us a favor in that regard. If Walmart didn't hire them, who would? Oh wait! The taxpayer would employ them with the myriad of welfare benefits that they would have received.
Again, that would be true if it it were an even trade off for the jobs they displace, but the research all shows they displace 3 small business jobs for every 2 they offer... not at all a good deal for the community and for long term economic reinvestment. And with such a high turnover rate, it's not a lasting benefit for many.
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