# Walmart Poll what do you think about them?



## guest (Sep 16, 2003)

Another thread started to go towards a walmart rant... 


So do you like walmart? Hate it? Need it? dont Care? 


Im in southern maine and without walmart, we would have no other decent stores within 30 Miles. 

We have a super walmart near me.. It sells groceries too... In Maine we practically have a walmart in every other town... 

I do not like their meats and I think their produce is horrible, plus they dont have fresh (made on premises) breads like other grocery stores. But as for walmart, i like it. I try to buy products made in USA there if possible.. but its sort of 'the only game in town' theres nothing else cheap like it near us.. so i like them.. actually id vote they are a 'necessary evil' or as a needed' store for me.... 


what about you?


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## Argee (Sep 17, 2003)

Walmarts are institutions in most rural towns. They have always had a sense of community about them. There are people who go for just coffee and to socialize. Now that's a community place.


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## jodyand (Sep 16, 2003)

Well my wife goes there all the time me i could care less. I go once in a while in fact i just got back from there today i go there with her sometimes.
Jody


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## Ed_GT5000 (Sep 30, 2003)

I go there now and then, always go there for oil. When I am there I walk around looking at Clearence stuff ......... Their Sporting goods dept. is OK


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## johnray13 (Oct 30, 2003)

I know they are indispensable when you move.


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## hlpack (Dec 21, 2003)

The local store is a super store but they don't have as much stuff as in the bigger towns. They have been open about one year I went there today looking for a coffee grinder and a set of allen wrenchs no luck! But the good news is there open all night.


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## John *.?-!.* (Nov 20, 2003)

Walmart is a Good news-Bad news type deal. Good news is a wide varity of items so you can take care of much of your shopping in one place, and good prices on many things. Bad news is they put many small stores that can't buy in volume out of business, and you have to watch what you are buying, because a lot of it (especially hardware items) are higher than elsewhere, but we are used to thinking of every thing being cheaper at Walmart.


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## Cousin Andy (Sep 22, 2003)

I hate Walmart. They, along with a since-defunct K-Mart destroyed the downtown of the small town I grew up in, forcing a Ben Franklin's, an old downtown Kroger's, an Ace Hardware, and numerous clothing, shoes, and drugstores out of business. I used to love going downtown to shop, but sadly downtown is a ghostly place except for lawyers and bars these days.

To go along woth all this great "benefit", there's now a huge zone of awful stripmall development all around the big-box stores. The Walmart has been through four locations in this area since the '70s, each time leaving an ugly, abandoned strip crapball development in its wake. 

Yes, I hate Walmart. I have seen them do this to so many towns. I applaud all of those places that are fighting the homogenizing trend and keeping their local flavor. Vermont, for example.

And lest you think I am speaking of some distant misty-eyed past where every town was Mayberry, I am 29 years old. I remeber vibrant downtowns. This overtaking is happening THAT FAST.

Patronize your local merchants. The ones who put their heart and soul into their work. This includes the local diner, where REAL COMMUNITY resides. Or around the heater at the local hardware store, every town has one. 

I swear, if anyone ever catches me shooting the sh!t at a Walmart, I hope they put me out of my misery.


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## slipshod (Sep 19, 2003)

*I am with coz*

On the Wally World question I have to agree with the CoZ.
"THEY SUCK"
Also can not stand all the Dollar stores that have seemed to spring up over night.


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## Live Oak (Dec 22, 2003)

I live in a VERY small rural town (one stop light and that was put up less than 6 months ago) I give my patronage to local businesses first but if they are not willing to be reasonably competitive; I am off to Walmart. They have a great selection, services, and prices.


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## guest (Sep 16, 2003)

I agree with chief...
Ill buy my bread at ther local store, my milk & butter and eggs at the 'milk' farm, screws & bolts from the hardware store, produce at the super market.. 
but for basic stuff; detergent/auto stuff/general crap.. i go to walmart... 

If the other places sold the stuff at similiar prices id go there.. but its tough to compete with walmart.


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## SuperFreak (Sep 18, 2003)

Who needs help buying every little single thing in there life?
Not me, i may need help selecting a lawn mower or soemthing but for the most part people dont need help buying ordianry items at wal-mart. So servcie is not really an issue.

We complain when we go somewhere where there is service;like a furniture store or Car Lot. I can see now "I hate those Salemans always harrassing me"

Wal-mart has given people what they want. TO BE LEFT ALONE.

I dont need that "Personal touch" of serivce in selecting my toothpaste or my underware.

I like Small places for big tickrt items like cars and boats,


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## tisenberg (Sep 20, 2003)

So many people bash Walmart, and I can understand why, but when it comes down to it, I have three kids and it's nice to be able to get shoes and clothes for them cheap and still have quality.


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## Spike (Sep 26, 2003)

*One stop*

I like it because I can get so many things with one stop. Don't really care for the greeters though.


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## guest (Sep 16, 2003)

10 more years.. and i want to retire and become a wlamart greeter...


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## Live Oak (Dec 22, 2003)

Yeah, I would love to be a Walmart greeter so I could drop customers for push-ups for walking by and leaving their shopping carts and trash out in the parking lot. You know the routine where the drill sergeant get up in your face with the brim of his hat against the top of your head and spit balls flying. I figure I might last a couple of hours on the job. :cowboy: :smiles: :lmao: Everytime I go in Walmart the parking lot is full of abandoned shopping carts. The kids and I will grad a few carts and bring them back in and the greeters appreciated it but think we are from Mars or something. :smiles:


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## guest (Sep 16, 2003)

yup chief you sound like you'd make a great customer service rep.. 
are you sure you dont work for my cable company? you sound like some of the folks ive gotten when i call.


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## Spike (Sep 26, 2003)

*Greeters*

What's with all the retired greeters?? They need the girls of Walmart (Playboy) to be doing this. I would go more often.


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## Live Oak (Dec 22, 2003)

SJ, if you lived around here.........you would understand.


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## wheely_boy (Sep 16, 2003)

I find Walmart about as exciting as an old Gold Circle, Zayres or Tops. ong:


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## Adamr88 (Sep 16, 2003)

> _Originally posted by Cousin Andy _
> *I hate Walmart. They, along with a since-defunct K-Mart destroyed the downtown of the small town I grew up in, forcing a Ben Franklin's, an old downtown Kroger's, an Ace Hardware, and numerous clothing, shoes, and drugstores out of business. *


If I rember correctly from Sam Waltons Biography on A&E Ben Franklin's was once one of Sam's competors.


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## Argee (Sep 17, 2003)

Walmart rules!:thumbsup:


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## Spike (Sep 26, 2003)

*Yes it does*

Walmart DOES rule.

<a href='http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=ZSzeb008' target='_blank'><img src='http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/23/23_1_25.gif' border=0></a>


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## tisenberg (Sep 20, 2003)

The new walmart greeter...

:blacksuit 

LOL Andy, the new smiley's are great!!!


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## Stewart (Sep 17, 2003)

I don't mind the store, I just don't like all the people there. You have to park out at 40th and Plumb and hike in to stand in line!:wontshare 

I try and support the local folks first and if they can't or won't come close on price, off to wally world we go!:captain: 

Cheers:beer:


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## guest (Sep 16, 2003)

i go to walmart at 6:30 -7:00 am. the place is always empty and no problem with lines..

same goes for home depot. When i go in there at that time all the employees treat me like their cousins.. you know 'Hi how areyou doing today, can i help you'


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## tisenberg (Sep 20, 2003)

That reminds me, at one point I had a HD that was 24 X 7... I loved that place. When I was finishing my basement, I would go shopping at 2:00am. I had the store to myself. I be doing something at 1:30am and say... "honey, running to HD to pick up some stuff". She just laughed at me.

They stopped doing it because "some ladies complained about safety because we run the forklifts during operational hours so management stopped the 24 hours".

Not sure if that was the real answer or someone's opinion, regardless, they run the forklifts anytime, anywhere all the time so I don't believe that to be the answer.


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## Stewart (Sep 17, 2003)

Late in the evening is great for Lowes and HD, Wally World is real weird after dark around here. Norman is a college town in case you didn't know that!!!:flowersmi


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## bontai Joe (Sep 16, 2003)

I couldn't help but notice several mentions of going to the supermarket, but lamenting the disappearing of local stores because of Walmart. In the old days, folks bought their bread at the bakery, their meat at the butcher shop, canned food at the dry goods store, flour and sugar at the mill, etc. My point being that ALL those places were local owned businesses that are gone now. Do you blame the supermarket? I shop at Walmart for some stuff occasionally, like the 72 pack of toilet paper, or the 24 roll pack of paper towels, shampoo, toothpaste, but I buy enough to last a LONG time so I don't have to deal with the really bad parking, standing in line at one of the 2 cash registers that is open and the long hike through the store just because it is so big. The majority of my shopping is done at one of the 2 local grocers that are franchise affiliated but family owned. They don't offer to help me select my cereal, but the services they do offer is that they will open up more checkout lanes if things get busy, the store is cleaner, the produce is locally grown when in season, and they bag my food instead of making me do it. My local hardware store is a treasure!! I can buy one nut or bolt if that is all I need, or a 5 pound box. He sells all manor of hardware, small appliances, Lottery tickets, guns and ammo, hunting licenses, and he fixes bicycles, lawn mowers and kerosene heaters. Neighborhood folks gather around to chit chat about local news and Mr. Altemose seems to know everyone and truely greets them with a smile.

I guess I like to shop where it is convenient for me, (Walmart is not convenient for the extra time it takes to get in and out), where everything is NOT made in China, where there is service with a smile. If it costs a little more, I feel I'm getting more and am OK with it. I do go to K-mart for my clothing, and Home Depot for some stuff, but mostly like local stores.


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## guest (Sep 16, 2003)

> _Originally posted by bontai Joe _
> * In the old days, folks bought their bread at the bakery, their meat at the butcher shop, canned food at the dry goods store, flour and sugar at the mill, etc. *



Wow Joe: Just how old ARE you? 

whats a dry goods store??:dazed: :dazed: 


i do remember a local butcher shop when i was a kid.. actually we have one up here near me now.. you can not beat the meat there thats for sure.. (no punn intended)


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## bontai Joe (Sep 16, 2003)

simple John,
I'm 47, but a student of American history, both written and the oral history passed down from several families. My mom has recorded many stories of things that happened to our family and others going back to the 1800's.

A dry goods store sold canned food, cloth, thread, plates, pots, utensils, etc. Essentially stuff that had a very long shelf life. The grocer sold produce, and perishables (things that tend to be wet because of juice or moisture and rot rather quickly).

That is still the method of shopping used in my wife's province in the Philippines. Shopping is an all day affair involving many stops. There are half a dozen places to buy each type of item needed and haggling on price at EACH one is the tradition there. Makes for a long day.


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## guest (Sep 16, 2003)

wow it would take the whole day just to get everything...


different times now huh... My grandfather was a butcher in boston (haymarket) i was told that he still had a job during the depression, but most did not in the family.. He used to get meat and supply it to all of the family members & friends in need and got them through the tough times... 

again, nothing to do with walmart.. but it was a nice thing to do..


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## tisenberg (Sep 20, 2003)

Janet supplied some meat to Justin


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## guest (Sep 16, 2003)

> _Originally posted by tisenberg _
> *Janet supplied some meat to Justin *


yeah, but he's already had brittany and Cameron diaz' meat.. he's doing ok..


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## Spike (Sep 26, 2003)

*Not to old*

When I was young we had a milkman and eggman. We also had the liquor store, bakery, deli, dime store, etc. All gone now. Don't remember you said it, but it's true, they were all put off of business by family grocery stores.


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## bontai Joe (Sep 16, 2003)

Janet is almost old enough to be his mom! She was born in 1966 and he in 1981. I would hope he would want meat that had not traveled as many miles, or had been ridden as hard. :eat:


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## Live Oak (Dec 22, 2003)

Looks like Janet may have to take a job at Walmart with the class action lawsuit taken out against her today. :lmao: :lmao: :lmao:


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## Spike (Sep 26, 2003)

*Wow*

Hadn't heard that yet Chief. Fill us in.:captain:


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## tisenberg (Sep 20, 2003)

Gold digging ---> http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/entertainment/7883797.htm


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## Live Oak (Dec 22, 2003)

Here ya go Spike! I hope they take every penny those clowns have! 

click here


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## Spike (Sep 26, 2003)

*Wow*

Holly<a href='http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=ZSzeb008' target='_blank'><img src='http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/23/23_1_59.gif' border=0></a>ski


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## Live Oak (Dec 22, 2003)

Yep! They got it coming and it is only too fitting! :thumbsup:


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## jodyand (Sep 16, 2003)

How come the NFL isn't in there to they had to know something was going to happen with an all Hip Hop half time show. Hopefully it will be the last time they try that for the half time show.outta here 
Jody


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## slipshod (Sep 19, 2003)

*You are Not a Fan*



> _Originally posted by jodyand _
> *How come the NFL isn't in there to they had to know something was going to happen with an all Hip Hop half time show. Hopefully it will be the last time they try that for the half time show.outta here
> Jody *


 Justin Timberlake and Janet Jackson are not Hip-Hop.


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## jodyand (Sep 16, 2003)

*Re: You are Not a Fan*



> _Originally posted by slipshod _
> *Justin Timberlake and Janet Jackson are not Hip-Hop. *


Its all Hip Hop they have not had music since the mid 80s:winky: :lmao: 
Jody


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## slipshod (Sep 19, 2003)

*Re: Re: You are Not a Fan*



> _Originally posted by jodyand _
> *Its all Hip Hop they have not had music since the mid 80s:winky: :lmao:
> Jody *


 I disagree,it so happens that I like a lot of the new music, but nothing by JJ or JT.


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## jodyand (Sep 16, 2003)

Thats good slipshod but they don't know what music is they cant play instruments they have to have a house band to play the music, and if they didnt have computers to make them sound good they wouldnt be where they are today. Every time you hear a song its a remake of an old song they cant even come up with new songs. Same goes with TV and movies.:tellyou: 
Jody


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## Live Oak (Dec 22, 2003)

Here Here!!!! Jody! Tell it like it is! If I had my way, it would be unlawful to dispatch a car stereo with anything smaller than 44 magnum. I am sooooooooo fed up with listening to cars with the bass thumping that you can hear a 1/2 mile away. :cowboy: :smiles:


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