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

Tue Apr 8 18:57:08 EDT 2008

We have the Hub Project in Asheville that is designed to attract new money. The Hub Strategy serves as a catalyst for Asheville's creative community to build on sustainable resources. For example, Asheville has always been known as a  place for rejuvenation and for the abundant presence of botanicals, roots and herbs of great medicinal value, along with alternative medical treatment options. I think the key word is sustainable. There is no more cheap oil which our big box stores have depended on for producing and transporting their goods. So I think each community is going to have to figure out what is a sustainable economic model for their particular community.
mb
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Jim Baumbach 
  To: Order Ecumenical Community 
  Sent: Tuesday, April 08, 2008 6:14 PM
  Subject: Re: [Oe List ...] Wal-Mart and the weapons of mass destruction

  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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