October 2000

Wal-Mart sees super future. Communities see none.

No one would have believed that the insidious spread of the Wal-Mart behemoth is only a fraction of the Sam Walton master plan. Yet now the tale is growing more bleak. They are converting to "Super Centers" by adding groceries to the mix. I though they already were Super Stores. What now…Giganti-Centers? Does it ever stop?

Many thousands of longtime independent regional markets have already been pushed out of business by the retail giant. Even major chains have felt the terrible effects and, in some cases, declared bankruptcy.

The story if always the same. Wal-Mart buys fertile farmland cheap. Makes local government build access road. Cookie cutter Wal-Mart appears. Expolits workers, communities, the public, and the environment to ensure cheapest goods around. Hires PR firm to make Wal-Mart out to be everything wonderful that it destroyed – except cheaper and more convenient. Millions are fooled and flock to the stores while their neighborhood becomes a ghost town and local farmland is wasted and degraded.

To make the cruel joke worse, now Wal-Mart is opening "Neighborhood Markets" to supplement its big blue boxes. But most true neighborhood markets long ago disappeared.

And what have we gotten in their place? Less arable land. More unfulfilling underpaid jobs. A small selection of lots of low quality merchandise. And greeters supplanting the friendly faces of local merchants who help make the world’s hometowns and cities vibrant warm communities.

A good deal? I think not.