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Reporting from Grand Rapids on the Walmarts here:

They are really dumpy, even though many of them are less than 5 - 10 years old. We generally do a lot of our "essential" shopping at discount department stores, so we're not really retail snobs, but they are just in rough shape. The aisles are messy, the clothes are in piles, the floors dirty, poor lighting, they just look like flea markets. In contrast, the Target and Meijer stores are very clean, brightly lit, organized, and are constantly upgraded with new layouts and store displays (most of them at least). A few of the 20 or so Meijer stores in the GR Metro are old and need updating, but most of the others are in great condition. And it's probably why I hear that Meijer beats Walmart in store-to-store sales in this area, which Meijer is a comparable Grand Rapids based superstore chain. You guys need to pass that info along to Bentonville.

Back to you... :thumbsup:

Doesn't target often use wood panelling on their floors. Not for the major walkways or aisles, but for clothes sections.

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Doesn't target often use wood panelling on their floors. Not for the major walkways or aisles, but for clothes sections.

They do use laminates in some but most are just tile.

I kind of like the modern stained concrete in many of the newer Wal-Marts including the one at Chenal and Hwy 10. That's just as attractive as wood.

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Welcome Jeff to the Arkanas section. Do you guys have any Supercenters up there? It is true that the normal Wal-Mart's are pretty crappy, believe me I've worked in them. But the Supercenters are much nicer and offer some moderately upscale products.

Thanks mcheiss! We have maybe 6 or 7 Walmarts, a couple of Sam's Club's, and that's it. We don't have any Walmart Supercenters yet, but one was just approved recently on the NW side. We also don't have any SuperTargets yet of the 4 or 5 Target stores. I think it's because Meijer has such a strong following for groceries. I also heard that the local meat-cutters union is pretty strong, and Target and Walmart have not had any luck hammering out a deal with them. No meat counter, hard to have groceries. I don't know if that is true or an urban myth though.

The new Targets and the newer Meijer stores have laminate wood floors in certain areas, such a clothing and the wine/beer sections. The newer Meijer stores also have ceramic tile and pendant lighting in the grocery sections, which gives it a higher class look. They are also outfitted with large delis, sit down eating areas, and a Starbucks.

The Sam's Clubs are very well organized and much cleaner than the Walmarts. The Walmarts are not kept up at all. I have a theory that it might be because Meijer is the king around here, and probably has a better shot at attracting better management, as well as the corporate HQ of Meijer being right here in the metro area. Either that or because we are so far from Bentonville, that top management only comes up occasionally, and everyone knows they're coming and can prepare.

In college, I worked at a Sam's Club in Kalamazoo, and Sam Walton came in unannounced. Red baseball cap and jeans, and no one knew who he was. Luckily our store was well run. :lol:

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Not sure if anyone has heard this news, but every Wal-Mart employee by the start of next year will be required to wear a "Wal-Mart Uniform". The uniform is just a polo shirt with the word Wal-Mart on it, along with Khaki pants. So far, about 100 stores across the nation have been doing this since September.

Sounds much better than the blue "smocks" they make CSM's and Door Greeters wear. I hope all associates comply with it because I don't like some of the clothes associates wear while working.

I don't know about Sony. I bought a Sony TV from Best Buy less than three years ago and took it back. They replaced it and like the other one it takes a very long time to come on and make a very loud noise when you turn it off. The response time with the remote is also very slow. By the way it was made in Mexico.

Sounds like my Sony TV. It has like a warm-up period when you turn it on and the *pop* when turned off is normal I guess. With so many TV's being bought at Wal-Marts and Targets it's no wonder Sony had to come up with a way of making up for lost sales by making cheaper quality TV's. Sony can build the "2nd" most advanced humanoid robot on the planet but their TV's suck.

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Thanks mcheiss! We have maybe 6 or 7 Walmarts, a couple of Sam's Club's, and that's it. We don't have any Walmart Supercenters yet, but one was just approved recently on the NW side. We also don't have any SuperTargets yet of the 4 or 5 Target stores. I think it's because Meijer has such a strong following for groceries. I also heard that the local meat-cutters union is pretty strong, and Target and Walmart have not had any luck hammering out a deal with them. No meat counter, hard to have groceries. I don't know if that is true or an urban myth though.

It thought Wal-Mart only sold prepacked meats. It's actually a reason a lot of people I know prefer Kroger or Albertson's.

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It thought Wal-Mart only sold prepacked meats. It's actually a reason a lot of people I know prefer Kroger or Albertson's.

I kind of thought when I head it that it might be an urban myth. :dontknow: That's interesting that they only do pre-packaged meat. Maybe that's why they haven't pursued supercenter here because they have to compete with Meijer with a huge full service meat department.

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Sounds much better than the blue "smocks" they make CSM's and Door Greeters wear. I hope all associates comply with it because I don't like some of the clothes associates wear while working.

Sounds like my Sony TV. It has like a warm-up period when you turn it on and the *pop* when turned off is normal I guess. With so many TV's being bought at Wal-Marts and Targets it's no wonder Sony had to come up with a way of making up for lost sales by making cheaper quality TV's. Sony can build the "2nd" most advanced humanoid robot on the planet but their TV's suck.

All employees excluding Jewlry Associates, Back room workers, Co-Managers and the Store Manager wear the blue, green, red, maroon, or brow smock.

It thought Wal-Mart only sold prepacked meats. It's actually a reason a lot of people I know prefer Kroger or Albertson's.

They do. Remember the whole Texas Meat Packing Labor issue?

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I kind of thought when I head it that it might be an urban myth. :dontknow: That's interesting that they only do pre-packaged meat. Maybe that's why they haven't pursued supercenter here because they have to compete with Meijer with a huge full service meat department.

Yep they have all their meat cut and prepackaged outside the store and simply ship them out to the stores that way. There's no butcher or anything in the Supercenter meat departments. I will also say this, the quality of their meat isn't too good and I won't buy any meat there.

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Yep they have all their meat cut and prepackaged outside the store and simply ship them out to the stores that way. There's no butcher or anything in the Supercenter meat departments. I will also say this, the quality of their meat isn't too good and I won't buy any meat there.

You're right. Harps's meat is much better quality.

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The reason Wal-Mart's have closed down most of their meat departments is because of associates trying to unionize. Wal-Mart doesn't need to get involved with unions since they are such a large company. I can't stand unions and the only people who really benefit from them is the unionizers who charge the dues. Besides with Wal-Mart improving so many associate benefits all the unionizers would do is get the associates less than Wal-Mart is already trying to give them.

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  • 2 weeks later...

After all these years of shunning Walmart, I may have to pay them another visit. Walmart will open a new store not far from the Atlantic Station development in Midtown Atlanta. It will be different from most Walmarts. I can't wait to see if they can sway me.

From the AJC:

The world's largest retailer has given a Wal-Mart-sized makeover to its first store inside Atlanta's city limits.

From the hardwood floors to the rooftop parking lot, you'll see little trace of the retailer's suburban big box when the doors open Wednesday. The Midtown store sits below street level, out of sight from the traffic on Howell Mill Road. Inside, Wal-Mart has ditched the bargain-basement atmosphere for a more upscale air, complete with sushi bar.

Wal-Mart, the retail giant that some people love and others love to hate, is showing off a new sensitive side

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$78 million judgment against Wal-Mart today in a Pennsylvania labor dispute. It's worrisome that this might become a trend.

How ironic that Wal-Mart, who already spends nearly HALF their "net" profits on employee benefits, is being sued over labor disputes when that will only hinder the ability to offer better employee benefits. Funny how Target is so innocent and free from scandal when Wal-Mart really is the biggest TARGET. Maybe Wal-Mart should change the name to Bulls-Eye.

After all these years of shunning Walmart, I may have to pay them another visit. Walmart will open a new store not far from the Atlantic Station development in Midtown Atlanta. It will be different from most Walmarts. I can't wait to see if they can sway me.

Thanks for the update about that Wal-Mart. The more "urban", upscale Wal-Marts started in Plano, Texas with their "test store." We'll be seeing a lot more of these types of Wal-Marts in large metros. All new Wal-Mart Supercenters are actually very nice even if they're toned down for more rural markets.

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Thanks for the update about that Wal-Mart. The more "urban", upscale Wal-Marts started in Plano, Texas with their "test store." We'll be seeing a lot more of these types of Wal-Marts in large metros. All new Wal-Mart Supercenters are actually very nice even if they're toned down for more rural markets.

You know, I've been to that store in Plano and it wasn't that impressive. It was maybe 2% nicer than the better stores in NWA and LR.

This Atlanta store sounds pretty interesting.

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You know, I've been to that store in Plano and it wasn't that impressive. It was maybe 2% nicer than the better stores in NWA and LR.

This Atlanta store sounds pretty interesting.

Matt would know better than me, but I believe the Plano "test store" had the first sushi bar and upscale foods in it. I've never seen it so I can only go by press releases about it. Atlanta may be a special case because they're against Wal-Mart setting up there, unlike the Dallas area. Although, my brother who lives in Dallas says Wal-Mart is putting a strain on many of the largest retailers in Dallas, namely Kohl's and some of the grocery chains.

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Matt would know better than me, but I believe the Plano "test store" had the first sushi bar and upscale foods in it. I've never seen it so I can only go by press releases about it. Atlanta may be a special case because they're against Wal-Mart setting up there, unlike the Dallas area. Although, my brother who lives in Dallas says Wal-Mart is putting a strain on many of the largest retailers in Dallas, namely Kohl's and some of the grocery chains.
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It's not a sushi bar, literally just some plastic containers of sushi in a case the way many Dallas grocery stores like Central Market and Tom Thumbs have, nothing special. There are some areas with cheap hardwoods. In general, like I said, it's 2% better than what you're used to. I was expecting something big when I went there and left unimpressed.

Interesting, Kohl's just opened its first store in the city of Dallas a few months ago. They aren't big here. There are a few in surrounding communities like Plano and Mesquite but not like you would think.

WM is big in the grocery market, especially amongst lower income residents and Hispanics. The WMs in South Dallas, Garland, Mesquite, etc are pretty busy. WM actually leads the grocery market with a 21% share because of the plethora of chains - Albertson's, Kroger, Tom Thumbs, Super Targets, Central Markets, Minyard's, Sack and Save, etc, etc, etc.

Here's an article I found about the "Wild West" grocery market in Dallas. Tons of competition here.

BTW, notice in the article that DFW is the only major metro where WM leads.

DFW grocery market

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Matt would know better than me, but I believe the Plano "test store" had the first sushi bar and upscale foods in it. I've never seen it so I can only go by press releases about it. Atlanta may be a special case because they're against Wal-Mart setting up there, unlike the Dallas area. Although, my brother who lives in Dallas says Wal-Mart is putting a strain on many of the largest retailers in Dallas, namely Kohl's and some of the grocery chains.
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Have you been there? I thought the facade wasn't as nice as it could be. I really like the facade on the one at Chenal and Cantrell in West LR. There's a new Wal-Mart coming to my area of Dallas, Lake Highlands, despite impressive opposition that has an attractive facade.

I don't know if you remember hearing about it but there was a Wal-Mart that was supposed to go into the Park Cities that was going to be extremely nice with a small parking deck and it was two stories. The city of University Park nixed it, though.

I actually like the coffeeshop in that WM, though I didn't try anything there. Still, it's tough to compete with the Starbucks in the Targets and Tom Thumbs.

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Perhaps I should also point out that I hardly ever shop at Wal-mart. It's not because I hate them or anything. In many ways it's not convenient for me. I don't tend to stock up on groceries and they tend to be rather busy and a bit inconvenient for me to buy the way I do now. Overall I tend to think I've somewhat open-minded to Wal-mart though. I probably live in the one Arkansas city that seems to have some strong anti-Walmart sentiment. But I also don't see Wal-mart being the 'evil empire' many people make it out to be either.
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