<<<----- I was very Anti Wal-Mart and still prefer K-Mart, Target or any other store before I go into Wally World.
I am not perfect with all of this, and just recently I even spent a dollar or two in Edwardsville, (to make it worse at their WalMart) but don't tell nobody. I was lucky not to be spotted by any Granite Expatriates that I once knew.
But the reason I support SAMS and have even reluctantly changed my mind about a Wal Mart STUPERCENTER
is becuase --- grocery stores will hold their own. Auto parts stores, garages -- will hold their own. Now Wally World is bringing back the guns!! Yah---Hooo!!!!
Often these megabox stores do anchor further development.
Some will point at the Wal Mart plaza as never having been full.
But a Stupercenter or a Big box wholesaler naturally creates all kinds of traffic around it. Often it creats traffic for people who are hungry or for people who want items of a little bit better quality or of a specialty.
Wal Mart DOES have a little bit of everything -- but they don't have the best of ANYTHING for the most part.
I've seen developments around these megabox stores that attract Kohl's... Shoe stores, Lane Bryant, Ann Taylor, Mens XL stores, dollar stores, Card Shops, Beauty salons or supply stores...
Why, because the traffic is in one area. Businesses like traffic.
As far as the grocery end, I cannot grocery shop while at a stupercenter. It's not because I am anti Wal MArt as much as the selction of food items is not the best. The deli and meat and produce departments are markedly inferior.
When I grocery shop I normally do a horseshoe from produce, to deli, seafood, meat, frozen, and dairy. I spend little time in dry goods. Schnucks and SNS outpace WalMart in fresh goods any day. So I will keep shpping at a traditional supermarket and will even go to even smaller markets focusing on dairy, meat and produce.
It's not that Wal-Mart's stuff is all bad, but their fresh goods are not on par with supermarkets.
I tend to think that SNS will always do well in this town and that the Schnuck brothers were wise to re-vamp their store and focus on the custom cut crowd.
I tend to be of that crowd, not because of greater income -- but because large quantities at times often get wasted. Sometimes I save by getting just what I need even if it costs more. Freezing the unused portions is not always effective.
Wal-Mart is ill-suited to be of much help in that area...and their seafood----DREADFUL all frozen schtuff and likely packed in salt.