Historicist: "The city that nobody loves"
Elsewhere in the Ist-a-Verse
Walmart is finally celebrating the delayed launch of their Stouffville Supercentre tomorrow on Highway 48 south of Stouffville Road. The Supercentre is the first of three in Canada, designated “super” because they break from the Walmart tradition of small, unassuming, stores that blend seamlessly into the local community. The new 160,000 square foot Supercentre will have a complete grocery store inside, as well as a drug store, photo lab and the usual variety of plastic crap to fill up every nook and cranny of your home. The store also features LCD screens hanging from the ceiling running commercials, because when you’re out buying stuff, it’s nice to have that little smiley guy encouraging you.
Walmart is being welcomed by excited local residents who will be able to shop for all their consumer wants in one place, and by local small business owners preparing to explore new career opportunities.
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"and by local small business owners preparing to explore new career opportunities"
HAHA that was subtle. I actually didn't pick up on the sarcasm at first! Nice!
they break from the Walmart tradition of small, unassuming, stores that blend seamlessly into the local community
zing!
As a Stouffville resident, I can say that I do NOT welcome this store. I'm not looking forward to seeing what it does to whatever family-run business we have left.
Some news reports are saying that the store is 175,000 square feet, which is just insane.
For a great read from a Wal-Mart customer service perspective, check out the Behind The Counter blog. If you read enough of his entries, you realize that the whole Wal-Mart system is one enormous magnet for scammers and store managers who couldn't care less.
I hate Walmart, as, I'm sure many of you do, too.
The thing is, not only do I dislike many of their corporate policies, I also find the experience of merely being in one to be upleasant and sometimes downright traumatic.
I think this Stouffville store would make my head explode.
I've actually never been in a Wal-Mart -- not because I'm protesting it, but because there aren't any near me or my family. One thing I do know, however, is that Sam Walton is spinning in his grave, periodically emitting a muffled, gurgly, "That's NOT what I INTENDED!"
Seems a bit too Big Brother-esque with all those screens filled with Wal-Mart propaganda.
I really, really dislike Walmart. It's a grand hommage to cheap-ass consumerism, where success is measured in the sheer volume of crap that you can accumulate in a lifetime. On any Saturday afternoon the average Walmart is just like the mall in Dawn of the Dead except that the zombies were better dressed. Still a great place to buy cheap paper towels though.
Jebus! Just how cheap are the paper towels?? Aren't they like .99cents for a pack?? Is the headache worth the savings? ;)
As someone that doesn't make a lot of $$$ but has a family to raise, I have to say: bottom line IS important. I DESPISE Walmart in every way; the way they treat their employees, the way the box store kills "the little guy", just being there. But still, although I try to support local businesses whenever possible, sometimes there is just no comparison in price, and I am forced to take advantage of the cost savings. I always feel like crap, but i gotta do what i gotta do.
Funny though; no one seems to get all up in arms against Home Depot and other box stores. I remember when local hardware stores were all over the place. Now, it's tough to find one, due to Home Depot and ROMA.
In high school I worked at a McD's-in-Walmart. One of the creepiest things is watching their staff meetings/pep rallies before the doors open. Profits are up ###%! Hooray! Clap clap clap! None of you will see a cent of it! Clap clap clap! The next worst thing is watching the human grazers come in and hoof around at the ultralow speed their giant bodies require. You can almost see them chewing cud.
Is the destruction to society worth the savings!
Walmart does not respect Canadian labour laws.
The spirit of the law was broken when workers at the Jonquiere Quebec store decided on their legal right to union participation. Walmart just decided to close the store and put these families out of work vs providing a good work enviroment.
Walmart disrespects Canadian law and therefore disrespects Canadians as a whole. WM thinks its above our laws.
Think before you support such a selfish company.
Management is forced to make everyone do the highly unoriginal Wal-Mart Cheer before each store opens every day.
"Give me a W! Give me an A! Give me an L! Give me a squiggly! Give me an M! Give me an A! Give me an R! Give me a T! What does that spell? [Wal-Mart!] And who's number one? [The customer! Always!]
Can you imagine?! Worst of all, they have to wag their bums back and forth for the "squiggly." Participation in the cheer is not optional. I'm not making this up. It's for morale (well, that solves it, then).
"Give me a squiggly!"
I wonder what they do in the States, where "Wal" and "Mart" are separated in the logo by a star rather than a hyphen? (When Wal-Mart came into Canada in the early 90s, shortly after the signing of NAFTA, it was decided that the star in the logo would be too American for us. Perhaps that's correct, but at least they didn't replace it with a maple leaf.)
The star between WAL and MART is the post-9/11 revision. It used to just be a hyphen. Nothing says patriotic Americana more when almost every single product you carry is made in Communist China.
At least the Walmart employees don't have an American flag stitched into their uniforms. Lowe's hardware franchise does, their corporate colours are even red white and blue. When the actress hired to pretend to work for Lowe's in their commercials puts her hand on her heart (some sort of promise is being made) it's right over the flag too. Corporate patriotism is a sickening joke.
Marc: My dad used to work for Wal-Mart Canada in the head office. I emailed him for comfirmation of what I wrote above, and he responded:
"For what it's worth, (the 'lowest price everyday', perhaps) the star in the Wal-Mart logo is actually there out of respect for Sam Walton. I believe it was adopted after his passing in '92. I think as I told you, and as you wrote, when Wal-Mart opened in Canada in '94 (by purchasing the failing Woolco chain, I might add), the star was considered to be 'too American' and was replaced with the hyphen. It was always their intention to eventually phase the star back in, I guess as Canadians grew used to them."
no one seems to get all up in arms against Home Depot and other box stores.
Maybe that's because those stores don't smell bad, and aren't nightmarish to be in.
and the home depots with the flowers in the back actually smell rather pleasant
You guys are all HATERS. Don't be mad because Sam Walton thought of it first. If it was not him it would be somebody else. Whats Wal-Mart going to do stop expanding, stop trying to make more and more money. There is a reason why they are so successful because they sell for cheap! Thats what people want and not to mention taking FULL advantage of our capitalist system. There is a reason why they do it . . because they can, its legal our system is design for companies like this to become more rich. If you want to hate and be mad look towards your government. For better or worse this is the world we live in, stop being angry at Wal-Mart because they are not going to stop because a minority of people hate them yes 'minority" becasue obviously the majority of poeple like Wal-Mart hence their succuss . . ! And no I'm not trying to say i love Wal-Mart and don't look down on the way they treat thier employees etc. but damn Sam Walton was one smart cookie!
A message from an American to all of you - keep Super Wal-Mart at bay! Wal-Mart is all about the bottom dollar (US$ or CAN$) and they stop at nothing. Sometimes that can be a good thing (they've given up their ridiculous conservatism somewhat here - Target is competition), but usually it's a bad thing. Super Wal-Marts are yet another blight on the landscape. I live in an urban area of less than 500,000, and we already have at least 6 (I can't count!), with 2 on the way!!
Keep them from building more while you still can. I can already see them spreading all over Manitoba and Alberta, where they will be welcomed with open arms!
I find it funny that people complain about Wal-Mart yet they're so successful. It's a capitalist market and I have no feelings either way on whether they succeed or the local store. If they have a product of equal quality at a lower price, I will go to them. It's business, not personal.
Wish we had a Supercenter in Orange County, Calfornia. Great prices, great selection and 24 hour convenience.
If you don't like the store you don't have to shop there ;)