[at-l] NOW Wal-Mart... WAS Confusering in VT

[ellen at clinic.net (Bob)]

The basic rule is buyer beware. I go to Wal-Mart mostly to buy large bags (=
18#) of Purina Cat Chow, which my local supermarket no longer sells. (It's =
a long story, but I've inherited five or so mostly feral cats, all but one =
that I can't catch has now been "fixed.")

But I admit I usually wander through the camping sections and occasionally =
buy something.

But not all things are cheap. My Wal-Mart is selling coke 12 packs for $3.2=
9. The price at the supermarket is $2.50. A year ago I checked the price of=
 denatured alcohol. Wal-Mart was 30 percent more expensive than the local T=
rueValue Hardware Store.

Weary  =


> ------------Original Message------------
> From: "Shelly Hale" <shellydhale@earthlink.net>
> To: "J Bryan Kramer" <jbryankramer@msn.com>, "Sloetoe" <sloetoe@yahoo.com=
>, <at-l@backcountry.net>
> Date: Thu, May-27-2004 6:39 AM
> Subject: Re: [at-l] NOW  Wal-Mart... WAS Confusering in VT
> =

> Nah...I can't really see what all of the Wal-Mart bashing is about either=
.
> I save money by shopping there for my every day items.  Would I give up m=
y
> Wal-Mart?  NO.  They provide me with services and prices that I am lookin=
g
> for.  (This is not an advertisement for them...unless they want to pay me
> that is!  LOL)
> =

> To make all of the rest of what I'm going to say trail related...I buy a =
lot
> of my hiking essentials at Wal-Mart.  They have nalgene bottles, daypacks=
,
> compasses, etc., etc., etc., for half the price.  (Now on to the rest of =
the
> story!  LOL)
> =

> I have to agree, Bryan.  Wal-Mart is not so bad.  I mean...is it really
> Wal-Mart that is running the Mom & Pops out of business...not actually, i=
t's
> the public.  I guess the public really does want more for their money.  I=
f
> the small businesses in Vermont stay open, then it is because they have
> found a way to keep customers.  What does that take?  Quality, niche-mark=
et,
> low-price, or etc. products & services.
> =

> And, like you said, the smaller businesses do not or can not offer benefi=
ts
> or even better than minimum wage.  Wal-Mart is a major employer in our ar=
ea
> (East Tennessee).  And, let's not forget the many manufacturers, supplier=
s,
> vendors, and etc that also have much higher sales due to business relatio=
ns
> with Wally World.
> =

> Without it, there would be a lot more folks back on welfare...which we al=
l
> pay for...and, don't even get me started on that!!!  LOL  But, I have see=
n
> many unskilled and minimally educated people get a job with Wal-Mart.
> =

> What did it do for them and the community?  Got them off welfare & TennCa=
re.
> Gave them back their self-esteem & pride.  Encouraged them to go back to
> school to learn more skills and become better educated.  Now, some of the=
m
> live even live in Europe.  They make much better money than I probably ev=
er
> will.  And, guess what?  A vicious cycle of living on welfare for several
> families has come to an end.  They are now contributing to the community =
in
> many, many ways.  But, most importantly...they are teaching their childre=
n
> that it pays to get an education or training...that it's better not to li=
ve
> off welfare...and that there are many opportunities out there for them.
> =

> And, the last time that I checked...this was still America.  Our country =
was
> founded on freedom of choice.  We still have the freedom to choose whethe=
r
> or not to shop at Wal-Mart or the small businesses.  Now, don't get me
> wrong...there are many small businesses that I frequent, and I really do
> like the small-town touch to certain things.  But, if I can save some mon=
ey
> on the items that I purchase more frequently and can put that money back =
for
> things my girls want to enjoy, or let's my hubby have a night out on the
> town with the fellas, or allows me to buy that hiking gear that I really,
> really want, then you're darn tootin' right I will still shop at Wal-Mart=
.
> =

> But, as with everything, for those of you who don't like Wal-Mart, then y=
ou
> have the freedom to have your opinion.  And, I respect you for that.  I j=
ust
> wanted to chime in here with my two cents worth...well...I guess I'm up t=
o a
> buck now.  LOL
> =

> Shelly Hale
> =