Walmart in Cottonwood AZ

[Jean_S]

Because of an incident involving a family of paranoid, belligerent crazies a few months ago, overnight parking is no longer allowed at this Walmart. This has always been a city ordinance, but was not enforced. Because of the actions of that family, the ordinance is now being enforced and the entire RV community has lost this privilege.

[Dog_Folks]

westernrvparkowner wrote:

Dog Folks wrote:
westernrvparkowner:

I can't help but wonder how you would feel if WalMart opened full service campgrounds in your towns and the site rental was 40% lower than yours?

I would feel I might have to potentially change my business plan. Maybe I become a boutique park with even higher rates but even better amenities. Maybe I change to a different product, the world needs cabins and other lodging. Maybe it would be time to sell the land and subdivide. Businesses get outcompeted every day. I knew when I went into the business it was always a possibility that the market could change. New competitors could enter. People's wants and desires could change. Nothing is a given. That's the free market. The answer is to adapt or die, not expect the better competitor to be kept away by government.

A very logical response. Thank you.

[Old-Biscuit]

2gypsies wrote:

Dog Folks wrote:
westernrvparkowner: The evidence is too hard to ignore. The smaller towns where WalMart moved in the downtowns died.

Certainly the larger cities can support both. The smaller towns cannot.

In the few towns that fought off WalMart their community still have thriving downtowns. Greenfield Mass. is one example. Jamestown, Ky.is another that I know of from personal experience.

I can't help but wonder how you would feel if WalMart opened full service campgrounds in your towns and the site rental was 40% lower than yours?

Sorry to disagree. We now live in a town of 36,000 with a WalMart. The town also supports small hardware stores, paint stores, 3 chain grocery stores, a meat store and many small clothing and misc. stores.

Our daughter lives in an affluent community in the Phoenix area. When WalMart was proposed the town was totally against it and there were meetings and meetings about it. The store did open and the parking lot is always full.

WalMart is here to stay. As stated it offers much to the community. It donates many dollars and goods to charities and fundraisers such as schools. Where we wintered in our RV I participated in a Foster Kids Christmas program. WalMart donated everything!

Cottonwood AZ.....roughly 12,000
Camp Verde AZ....roughly 12,000

Cottonwood....thriving
Walmart, Tractor Supply, Home Depot, Discount Tire, Chase/BOA/Wells Fargo, Frys, Safeway, Bashas/Food City, CVS, Walgreens, etc. etc etc etc

Camp Verde......dead/dying---lacking any growth
ACE Hardware, Bashas, CVS, Walgreens, Napa, and few other strip mall stores

Tractor Supply is new..........looked at Camp Verde then ran to Cottonwood

[big_whitey]

tomman58 wrote:

2gypsies wrote:
Do you stay out of Home Depot, Lowes, Target, K-Mart, Meijer's in Michigan, etc.?

HD not so much. Lowes is owned by WM, target no, k-mart stores are gone. Meijers was the last store to have mostly USA products but do not go there often.

WM has the largest impact, there are many others on my list but then that is my list of business' that are not employee friendly or just horrible with constant threats to their employees.

Lowes owned by WMT, you're nuts. Lowes is owned by Lowes.

[westernrvparkow]

Dog Folks wrote:
westernrvparkowner:

I can't help but wonder how you would feel if WalMart opened full service campgrounds in your towns and the site rental was 40% lower than yours?

I would feel I might have to potentially change my business plan. Maybe I become a boutique park with even higher rates but even better amenities. Maybe I change to a different product, the world needs cabins and other lodging. Maybe it would be time to sell the land and subdivide. Businesses get outcompeted every day. I knew when I went into the business it was always a possibility that the market could change. New competitors could enter. People's wants and desires could change. Nothing is a given. That's the free market. The answer is to adapt or die, not expect the better competitor to be kept away by government.

[2gypsies1]

Dog Folks wrote:
westernrvparkowner: The evidence is too hard to ignore. The smaller towns where WalMart moved in the downtowns died.

Certainly the larger cities can support both. The smaller towns cannot.

In the few towns that fought off WalMart their community still have thriving downtowns. Greenfield Mass. is one example. Jamestown, Ky.is another that I know of from personal experience.

I can't help but wonder how you would feel if WalMart opened full service campgrounds in your towns and the site rental was 40% lower than yours?

Sorry to disagree. We now live in a town of 36,000 with a WalMart. The town also supports small hardware stores, paint stores, 3 chain grocery stores, a meat store and many small clothing and misc. stores.

Our daughter lives in an affluent community in the Phoenix area. When WalMart was proposed the town was totally against it and there were meetings and meetings about it. The store did open and the parking lot is always full.

WalMart is here to stay. As stated it offers much to the community. It donates many dollars and goods to charities and fundraisers such as schools. Where we wintered in our RV I participated in a Foster Kids Christmas program. WalMart donated everything!

[Dog_Folks]

westernrvparkowner: The evidence is too hard to ignore. The smaller towns where WalMart moved in the downtowns died.

Certainly the larger cities can support both. The smaller towns cannot.

In the few towns that fought off WalMart their community still have thriving downtowns. Greenfield Mass. is one example. Jamestown, Ky.is another that I know of from personal experience.

I can't help but wonder how you would feel if WalMart opened full service campgrounds in your towns and the site rental was 40% lower than yours?

[westernrvparkow]

tomman58 wrote:

2gypsies wrote:

tomman58 wrote:
First, I never will even shop at a WM, they are ,to me, as bad as a terrorist group to America.

I do support and enjoy the casinos and stay for several nights not just a wham bam thing.

Do you really know the background of those casinos and really, really know where all that money goes? What about the folks going there who use their kids' food money to gamble? Doesn't that bother you?

WalMart employs millions of people. If not for them, where would those workers go? It's hard enough to get jobs period.

1st you and only you decide to gamble, case closed.
2nd Gee just how many stores went out of business because of WM. Family owned stores, your neighbors. Whole towns made into ghost towns across the US. Yes we sure can do without them. Oh and the folks that had the stores before are forced to work there to survive at all., period.

In my hometown, population around 6,000 numerous businesses sprang up around the Walmart. There were the normal fast food restaurants, several non-chain hometown restaurants, a specialty strip mall, several convenience stores not to mention several hundred people got employed by Walmart. Yes, a couple of the overpriced, understocked local businesses went away, but there was a huge net plus for the community. And other than the business owners, none of those employees were making anywhere near the pay and benefits Walmart offers. Walmart sponsors many local civic events and charities. You won't find too many people who would run them out of town if they had the chance. And just what town is it that got a Walmart and became a Ghost town? Usually it is the other way around, no Walmart, the town slowly fades away

[tomman58]

2gypsies wrote:
Do you stay out of Home Depot, Lowes, Target, K-Mart, Meijer's in Michigan, etc.?

HD not so much. Lowes is owned by WM, target no, k-mart stores are gone. Meijers was the last store to have mostly USA products but do not go there often.

WM has the largest impact, there are many others on my list but then that is my list of business' that are not employee friendly or just horrible with constant threats to their employees.

[2oldman]

2gypsies wrote:
What about the folks going there who use their kids' food money to gamble? Doesn't that bother you?

Somewhat, but as long as the folks who do not gamble the kids' food money far outnumber those who do, I choose to let it be.

With every vice known to man there are always those 5-10% who let things get out of control. That doesn't mean the rest of us have to live without it.

[2gypsies1]

Do you stay out of Home Depot, Lowes, Target, K-Mart, Meijer's in Michigan, etc.?

[tomman58]

2gypsies wrote:

tomman58 wrote:
First, I never will even shop at a WM, they are ,to me, as bad as a terrorist group to America.

I do support and enjoy the casinos and stay for several nights not just a wham bam thing.

Do you really know the background of those casinos and really, really know where all that money goes? What about the folks going there who use their kids' food money to gamble? Doesn't that bother you?

WalMart employs millions of people. If not for them, where would those workers go? It's hard enough to get jobs period.

1st you and only you decide to gamble, case closed.
2nd Gee just how many stores went out of business because of WM. Family owned stores, your neighbors. Whole towns made into ghost towns across the US. Yes we sure can do without them. Oh and the folks that had the stores before are forced to work there to survive at all., period.

[2112]

tomman58 wrote:

2112 wrote:

tomman58 wrote:
Asphalt RVing not my style. we go for the wonders of America and WM isn't part of that so good, close them all down.

That's being narrow-minded and self absorbed.
WM's asphalt RVing is used by many in route to the great wonders of America, as well as many other destinations.

Just because you do not partake or see the need you believe nobody should?

Many layover the night at many casino's. Should we close all of them down as well?

What about truck stops? What's your take on them?

First, I never will even shop at a WM, they are ,to me, as bad as a terrorist group to America.
I do support and enjoy the casinos and stay for several nights not just a wham bam thing.
I use truck stops for fuel only. With a 40' TT they offer the best choice to fuel. Sleep there, not hardly.
I know a lot of folks just do not plan their trips as I do or time limits cause them problems,as they are still worker bees, and time does have significance. I will never do WM or several other places do to their treatment of their fellow Americans and the cost to all of us as most are on government assistance. But that is me and several folks I know. We can be snooty towards some trash and don't need to patronize them.

Hello pot.
Before casino workers unionized they were far worse off than a WM employee could ever be. Some still are. But hey, I agree that we vote with our money.

There was a recent newspaper article about a WM in Livingston, Tx closing down to remodel. The 200+ employees sure seemed upset about losing that miserable job they had.

[2gypsies1]

tomman58 wrote:
First, I never will even shop at a WM, they are ,to me, as bad as a terrorist group to America.

I do support and enjoy the casinos and stay for several nights not just a wham bam thing.

Do you really know the background of those casinos and really, really know where all that money goes? What about the folks going there who use their kids' food money to gamble? Doesn't that bother you?

WalMart employs millions of people. If not for them, where would those workers go? It's hard enough to get jobs period.

[MarkTwain]

3oaks wrote:

gbopp wrote:
As often happens, a few ruin it for many.

I really can't blame WalMart or the city for taking this action.
They got too much bad publicity from the incident.

X2

Now if Wall Mart would only prohibit people with concealed and non-concealed weapons to shop in the store!!!! Are we getting that paranoid that we have to wear a Magnum 457 in plain sight to go into to Wall Mart to buy a shirt or TV?????? What about the rights of other people in the store having to be exposed to weapons when they have their children with them????

[big_whitey]

2112 wrote:

tomman58 wrote:
Asphalt RVing not my style. we go for the wonders of America and WM isn't part of that so good, close them all down.

That's being narrow-minded and self absorbed.
WM's asphalt RVing is used by many in route to the great wonders of America, as well as many other destinations.

Just because you do not partake or see the need you believe nobody should?

Many layover the night at many casino's. Should we close all of them down as well?

What about truck stops? What's your take on them?

X2