[Oe List ...] Wal-Mart and the weapons of mass destruction

[Jim Baumbach]

I think you'al just better move to Appleton, Wisconsin to enjoy true 
competitive department store and grocery store opportunities.  We have 2 
Walmart super stores one on the East side of town and one on the West 
side.  We have 2 Festival Foods (locally owned) one on the North side 
and one on the East side.  We have one of the most successful locally 
owned grocery stores -- Woodmans out on the West side of town.  In this 
area of 72,000 population, there is plenty of competition and plenty of 
success for those stores that have decided to compete.  We also have 
some locally owned smaller stores that are staying in business by 
providing services that the big guys don't do.  Our Conkeys bookseller 
competes favorably with Barnes and Noble by providing opportunities for 
local artists and poets to interact with the locals here.  For us, 
Walmart is not a threat but a regional competitor who is both successful 
and stimulating as a competitor.

Jim Baumbach

Lynn Brailsford wrote:
> Since we can't go back to the past, and present situation is what it is
> (e.g. Wal-Mart style stores + opposition to Wal-Mart style stores), probably
> a new and entirely different economic/community model will emerge. Costco
> seems to be a glimpse of a new direction...Starbucks used to be, but is
> foundering. I wonder what it will look like???
>
> Lynn Brailsford
> Brailsford Consulting, Inc.
> T. 201-801-0927
> M.201-805-6103
> www.brailsfordconsulting.com
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: oe-bounces at wedgeblade.net [mailto:oe-bounces at wedgeblade.net] On Behalf
> Of Bill Bailey
> Sent: Tuesday, April 08, 2008 5:34 PM
> To: 'Order Ecumenical Community'
> Subject: Re: [Oe List ...] Wal-Mart and the weapons of mass destruction
>
> Ada, Oklahoma (1974) the Chamber of Commerce & the OKC house did a joint
> study of what happened to Ada's economy over the past 10 years. In 1964 Ada
> had three local owned grocery stores; one on the north side, one on the
> south side, and one in the town center. Each of the three stores was owned
> and operated by two local families. Each store provided summer and afternoon
> jobs for high school kids.
>
> In 1968 a large grocery store chain opened owned and operated by a firm
> headquarter in Dallas Texas. The managerial staff of the store lived in
> Oklahoma City and commuted to Ada on a weekly basis. The new store hired
> local workers from Ada at minimum wages, but none of the managerial staff
> participated in the economic, political, or cultural structures of Ada. The
> goods for the super market all came from the outside and the profits were
> sent out of state. 
>
> By 1972 all three locally owned grocery stores had closed, but the super
> market still provided some jobs for after school and summer jobs for a few
> high school kids.
>
> The Chamber concluded that Ada had lost the economic, political and cultural
> benefits to the city of: 
> 	
> 	1. Six residential families, 
> 	2. A market for some locally produced food items, 
> 	3. A down turn in citizen's presence in town center, and 
> 	4. A small number of summer jobs for high school kids.
>
> This was just one simple story of what can happen when the chain (box)
> stores come to town. Instead of circulating locally, the money and business
> decisions no longer support the quality of life and economic growth of the
> local community.
>
>
>
>
>
> Bill Bailey
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: oe-bounces at wedgeblade.net [mailto:oe-bounces at wedgeblade.net] On Behalf
> Of David Dunn
> Sent: Tuesday, April 08, 2008 2:16 PM
> To: OE Community
> Subject: Re: [Oe List ...] Wal-Mart and the weapons of mass destruction
>
> On 4/8/08 1:04 PM, "Marianna Bailey"  wrote:
>
>   
>> Let's not forget the economic principles that we used in human development
>> projects.Money should circulate 5 times before it leaves a community. When
>> Wal-Mart comes into a town small family owned businesses that have been
>>     
> their
>   
>> for several generations go out of business. The family owned business
>> circulated the money 5 times and use to pay living wages. Wal-Mart pays
>>     
> low
>   
>> wages and the money leaves the community everyday. What we gain short term
>>     
> by
>   
>> low prices does not reflect the long term consequences of our local
>>     
> economy.
>
> This is the story of Burna's hometown, Ironwood, MI--on the decline because
> of a whole system of factors, but Wal-Mart didn't help. The downtown has
> been dying for many years.
>
> David
>
>   
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