WalMart To Takeover Livonia Mall Site, Plans Detroit Store?

DetroitDad · May-30-10, 11:34 PM

Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world's largest retailer, is expanding its presence in Michigan with the building of several Metro Detroit stores, including confirmation of a new superstore in Novi.
The retailer also is building new stores in Southgate and Canton Township and has begun hiring employees for a new location on Seven Mile in Livonia that will open in August. Wal-Mart is looking for 300 to 500 full-time and part-time workers in a range of positions, from department managers to associates, said Mohamed Alhabiel, zone merchandise supervisor at Livonia's other Wal-Mart store on Plymouth Road.
"We are interested in Detroit, and we hope to grow there," said Wal-Mart spokesman Bill Wertz. "We feel urban markets have great potential for us because we're underrepresented in a lot of areas."

From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20100529/...#ixzz0pTegGwLI

I do not enjoy big box retailers, especially Walmart, but end up buying way to much of my stuff from them. I always feel so guilty though.... like I do after smoking a cigarette, or eating at McDonald's. Half the stuff I buy from Walmart breaks or is recalled in a few months, but my childhood best friend is employed there... maybe we should just be thankful for the jobs coming? Is this good or bad news?

I think I'll stick with Main Street Woodward. I like that atmosphere better, and am willing to pay a few extra cents for it. I hope they can coexist, if they have to, I guess.

**R8RBOB** · May-30-10, 11:38 PM

For the record, I like to refer Wal-Mart as China-Mart since most if not all their goods come from China.

DetroitDad · May-30-10, 11:52 PM

Originally Posted by R8RBOB

For the record, I like to refer Wal-Mart as China-Mart since most if not all their goods come from China.

Which reminds me of a story.

I was buying my daughter hangers and noticed the price was three times higher at Meijer than Walmart. Of course, the only difference between the two was that one was made in the USA and the other was made in China.

**psubliminal** · May-31-10, 02:14 PM

Originally Posted by R8RBOB

For the record, I like to refer Wal-Mart as China-Mart since most if not all their goods come from China.

It's not just them; I was at Macy's the other day, looking for clothing that didn't come from China. It wasn't easy.

**Zacha341** · May-31-10, 02:36 PM

You'd be nude and with bare feet trying to do that one. Sadly...

Originally Posted by psubliminal

It's not just them; I was at Macy's the other day, looking for clothing that didn't come from China. It wasn't easy.

**reddog289** · May-31-10, 02:49 PM

I don't think Wal Mart sells anymore Made In China then any other major retailer, For the most part I am surprised when I do see something made in the USA.
I have never worked for Wal Mart yet when I do stop in there, The workers don't seem happy. My shopping choices are limited due to my work shift. I generally go to Meijer or Super K. One thing I do find annoying at all of the places I shop at lack of cashiers. I hate the U scan.

**CLAUDE G** · May-31-10, 12:33 AM

I sure hope as hell they don't decide to build at Michigan and Trumbull. If they do, it will be the last time I ever shop at Walmart again.

**rid0617** · May-31-10, 05:48 AM

I have been boycotting Walmart for over year. I'm old enough to remember the Walmart commercials saying if more than 3 are in line they'll open another register. Now you can stand 10 in line.

Disgusted I asked a manager if it would affect his bonus too much to schedule more cashiers. This morons suggestion was I try the self checkout. I asked him if he was working for free and of course he replied he wasn't.

I then asked him why should I work for free then and train for a part time job in the process. I now willingly pay more to stay out of big box corporate stores.

**Gistok** · May-31-10, 04:49 PM

Originally Posted by rid0617

I have been boycotting Walmart for over year. I'm old enough to remember the Walmart commercials saying if more than 3 are in line they'll open another register. Now you can stand 10 in line.

Disgusted I asked a manager if it would affect his bonus too much to schedule more cashiers. This morons suggestion was I try the self checkout. I asked him if he was working for free and of course he replied he wasn't.

I then asked him why should I work for free then and train for a part time job in the process. I now willingly pay more to stay out of big box corporate stores.

I don't get it when folks refuse to use the self serve option at stores??

Apparently a lot of folks are too young to remember the days when there wasn't "self-serve" gas stations [[only the pump boys could pump your gas)... or before the days of "touch-tone" phones, when all calles were placed thru an operator.

Get used to it...

With some of your logic... when you go to Aldi's [[a German discount store carrying lots of European as well as American products)... that 25 cents you have to put into coin slot at the outdoor shopping cart corral... when you get your 25 cents back after you've returned the shopping cart... you could have put a grocery bagger out of work....

**Hermod** · May-31-10, 05:07 PM

Originally Posted by Gistok

Apparently a lot of folks are too young to remember the days when there wasn't "self-serve" gas stations [[only the pump boys could pump your gas)...

"Pump jockeys" was the operative terminology.

**313WX** · May-31-10, 05:54 AM

I always said a mini Wal-Mart SuperCenter would be very convenient in the old Target store at Bel-Air Centre. To put this idea into perspective, Wal-mart already said they plan on building smaller SuperCenters everywhere, and they currently have a very successful one in Tampa [[it's 99,000 sq. ft. and the old Target at Bel-Air is 101,000 sq. ft.). I pesonally would have preferred if they had got the old Builder Square, that way the location could have a garden center as well, but Cabinets To Go beat them to it & gutted the nusery.

The property should only need a bit of renovation and it gives them the opportunity to test our water with their feet first.

But the real knee-jerker in all of this is Wal-Mart just so happens to be "interested" in Detroit after Meijer announces they're opening a location in the city.

**jackie5275** · June-01-10, 10:22 AM

Originally Posted by 313WX

But the real knee-jerker in all of this is Wal-Mart just so happens to be "interested" in Detroit after Meijer announces they're opening a location in the city.

That may be the only reason why. Wal-Mart's M.O. has always been to plunk themselves in a rural/semi-rural area with no competition or competition that can be easily stomped to death quickly upon their arrival. It's only been in the past decade where they've started to get brave enough [[big enough?) to start treading into more urban areas where they won't be the only game in town.

**gnome** · May-31-10, 06:29 AM

I've shopped at walmart three times. Once for a hurry up graduation gift, once for some much needed tp and once with Mom for a lifetime supply of plastic outdoor furniture that lasted a season.

Never say never, but I'll buy gas from BP before going WalMarting

**rooms222** · May-31-10, 07:21 AM

Meijer had an active disinterest in Detroit, even 5 or so years ago when one of the Meijer family was quoted in the Sunday Freep as saying the demographics were not right for a Detroit store.

Walmart has always expressed interest in a Detroit city store, but has been focused on conversions to Supercenters [[full-line groceries) from conventional stores until the last year or so. Also, Walmart had large gaps in the suburbs without a store that it was filling in as well.

Too bad that Walmart seems to not be building anymore Neighborhood Market stores. These stores have only the Grocery department in a smaller footprint. They built one right off of downtown Tampa that is very nice. Now Walmart is experimenting with a much smaller grocery-only store that has a slimmed down grocery selection.....

**Zacha341** · May-31-10, 10:49 AM

Hah. The need for TP will put a person in all kinds of stores... regrettably

.

Originally Posted by gnome

I've shopped at walmart three times. Once for a hurry up graduation gift, once for some much needed tp and once with Mom for a lifetime supply of plastic outdoor furniture that lasted a season.

Never say never, but I'll buy gas from BP before going WalMarting

**n7hn** · May-31-10, 10:55 AM

Ive never bought from a Walmart....I dont like their way of doing business with their suppliers. Too much like a retail bully and It chips away at our standard of living. Plus the one time i went in one, it was like hanging in the welfare office. Im not fancy, but Im not spending my cash in that atmosphere.

**Zacha341** · May-31-10, 11:34 AM

Yep, that's the mass "distribution" feel of the place. They're in a win-win situation as a so-called private retailer or government distribution center. The conversion would require little adaptation

!

Originally Posted by n7hn

Ive never bought from a Walmart....I dont like their way of doing business with their suppliers. Too much like a retail bully and It chips away at our standard of living. Plus the one time i went in one, it was like hanging in the welfare office. Im not fancy, but Im not spending my cash in that atmosphere.

**EMG** · May-31-10, 11:46 AM

If it isn't at Wal-Mart, I don't need it.

**Roq** · May-31-10, 06:36 PM

Originally Posted by n7hn

Ive never bought from a Walmart....I dont like their way of doing business with their suppliers. Too much like a retail bully and It chips away at our standard of living. Plus the one time i went in one, it was like hanging in the welfare office. Im not fancy, but Im not spending my cash in that atmosphere.

I'm with you. I have never set foot in one nor do I ever plan to. They treat their vendors and employees like shit.

I hope they are forced to pay the MAX in this case:

http://www.walmartclass.com/public_home.html

**canuck** · May-31-10, 07:13 PM

The most important stuff I bought at Walmart through the years broke or just disintegrated quickly.
A cheap bike I bought for my son didnt last a year. I bought cheap tires for my old vulva wagon and
regretted it, had flat tires which even if you get replacements for a few extra bucks arent worth a crap. I bought vinyl blinds that split early in their life. I guess I could have bought cheap crap anywhere for more but that doesnt excuse the throwaway mentality that goes with buying there. Costco has some defective stuff also. I wont buy tools there because there just isnt an important difference in price to warrant buying from a non-specialist. There are also very few areas where Costco is cheaper except on special. I do like that they treat their employees better than Walmart. Better pay and work schedules. I also think that the fairness to their suppliers is very important. I havent been to Walmart in 4 years.I go to a dollar store and get chinese stuff real cheap which sells for 5, 6 times as much at a home depot; foam paint rollers at 3 for a dollar, or storage hooks. I find that they stock a fair bit of canadian made products like stationary and jams and juices etc...

**cman710** · May-31-10, 11:00 AM

I grew up in NYC, where there are no Walmarts and had no occasion to visit one when visiting elsewhere, so I did not actually even enter one until several years ago. I have only purchased something there a handful of times, and I often get annoyed at the fact that it is so hard to find anything there. That said, Walmart does have great prices, and for people who need to watch expenses because they lost their job or do not have one that pays very well, I cannot blame them for shopping there.

**Russix** · May-31-10, 09:09 AM

There will never be a big box store in Detroit unless the city subsidizes the loss from theft.

**jams** · May-31-10, 09:39 AM

What is Walmart? I've never been in one.

**English** · May-31-10, 09:48 AM

I stopped shopping at Wal-Mart halfway through grad school due to peer pressure, but it was hard. I loved paying less than $2 for a box of cereal. I get my prescriptions and gas from Meijer, but I've started to buy things that I used to get at either Wal-Mart or Meijer in bulk, or at local stores.

I think that Wal-Mart could do well in the city, but they'd have to budget for extra security. I agree that it shouldn't be built on the Corner [[Michigan and Trumbull.)

**Zacha341** · May-31-10, 10:47 AM

Yeah, I loath going into a Walmart, reminds me of some kind of prep towards the government ration "your T21e allotment card now has 781 credits..." sustenance center of the future! Instead of bargain-land, this is were you will get your bi-monthy quotient as a reward for your taxed-to-death confiscated income in a post-collapsed currency america.

LOL! I do have a dark mind at times!

Anyway, I try to go to Meijers [[not that they are that much better) or local stores in the city or burbs... Plus most Walmarts are messy with stuff all over the floor.

Originally Posted by English

I stopped shopping at Wal-Mart halfway through grad school due to peer pressure, but it was hard. I loved paying less than $2 for a box of cereal. I get my prescriptions and gas from Meijer, but I've started to buy things that I used to get at either Wal-Mart or Meijer in bulk, or at local stores.

I think that Wal-Mart could do well in the city, but they'd have to budget for extra security. I agree that it shouldn't be built on the Corner [[Michigan and Trumbull.)