No Walmart for DC- What'll Become of the Real Estate Values in the Areas Close By Prospective Sites

[Anonymous]

Walmart and welfare go hand in hand.

It's not going to improve anyone's standard of living either by employment or by being able to spend money they don't really have on cheap stuff.

The people who have money in DC who have their own money are not going to shop there.

What would have happened is that people from nearby PG county would have shopped there.

Walmart doesn't attract other retail as a PP pointed out because the stores are not attracting those with large amounts of disposable income to begin with.

There are other less large cheap stores they could attract to DC. Walmart is no big loss.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Walmart and welfare go hand in hand.

It's not going to improve anyone's standard of living either by employment or by being able to spend money they don't really have on cheap stuff.

The people who have money in DC who have their own money are not going to shop there.

What would have happened is that people from nearby PG county would have shopped there.

Walmart doesn't attract other retail as a PP pointed out because the stores are not attracting those with large amounts of disposable income to begin with.

There are other less large cheap stores they could attract to DC. Walmart is no big loss.

yes, people with money don't generally go to wal-mart. but some do, because they like a bargain and don't care about principles.

you do know almost 20% of the population in dc is at poverty level? leave upper nw once in a while.

stop being so classist. and pg has plenty of wal-marts already. no need to sit in traffic to go to one in dc.

[Anonymous]

People in DC will continue to shop elsewhere, further reducing DC's tax base and ability to provide basic municipal services. It's a vicious cycle. WalMart isn't some great benevolent entity, but they are someone willing to invest lots of $, employ lots of people (albeit not at first year associate wages), and provide needed taxes and development in poorer communities.

[Anonymous]

If the Council is concerned about people's welfare, why not raise the minimum wage across the board?
Singling out big-box stores says nothing except that you dislike them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People in DC will continue to shop elsewhere, further reducing DC's tax base and ability to provide basic municipal services. It's a vicious cycle. WalMart isn't some great benevolent entity, but they are someone willing to invest lots of $, employ lots of people (albeit not at first year associate wages), and provide needed taxes and development in poorer communities.

What? the problem is that Wal-mart ends up costing municipalities due to the fact that their employees end up relying on social services because of their low wages and terrible benefits.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Walmart and welfare go hand in hand.

It's not going to improve anyone's standard of living either by employment or by being able to spend money they don't really have on cheap stuff.

The people who have money in DC who have their own money are not going to shop there.
What would have happened is that people from nearby PG county would have shopped there.

Walmart doesn't attract other retail as a PP pointed out because the stores are not attracting those with large amounts of disposable income to begin with.

There are other less large cheap stores they could attract to DC. Walmart is no big loss.

Hm, our HHI is 240K. Perhaps that is not a lot compared to your HHI, but I would not say it is low income. I live in DC and shop in the Walmarts of both PG and AA county. You PP are a complete idiot. I doubt the good people of PG and AA would take their tax base out of their counties to shop in a DC Walmart. But, there are many good people in DC who spend their money in those counties every day, thereby bolstering their tax bases.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Walmarts do not improve neighborhoods in my view. Yuck.

but welfare for life does?

http://articles.latimes.com/2013/jun/07/business/la-fi-wal-mart-wages-20130607

Headline says it all: "Wal-Mart's wages drive employees onto public benefits, report says"

If this is true, try the California model and send the big box companies a bill for employees receiving state funded public assistance. However, do not run business development away.

[AroundTheBlock]

The bill has not fully passed. Mayor still has power to reject bill and most likely will due to bill's impact on all big box stores.

Also, to the poster who says WalMart does not attract other businesses into their strip shopping center...you are very much mistaken.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People in DC will continue to shop elsewhere, further reducing DC's tax base and ability to provide basic municipal services. It's a vicious cycle. WalMart isn't some great benevolent entity, but they are someone willing to invest lots of $, employ lots of people (albeit not at first year associate wages), and provide needed taxes and development in poorer communities.

What? the problem is that Wal-mart ends up costing municipalities due to the fact that their employees end up relying on social services because of their low wages and terrible benefits.

Right now DC picks up 100% of the future employees costs...yes, maybe WalMart doesn't pay enough to get everyone off of the entire public dole, but it's a start, no? It's not like the people WalMart employs suddenly spring up out of nowhere. And the rising tide lifts all...the sales and property taxes paid by WalMart help offset the continued implied subsidies the city will pay.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Walmart and welfare go hand in hand.

It's not going to improve anyone's standard of living either by employment or by being able to spend money they don't really have on cheap stuff.

The people who have money in DC who have their own money are not going to shop there.

What would have happened is that people from nearby PG county would have shopped there.

Walmart doesn't attract other retail as a PP pointed out because the stores are not attracting those with large amounts of disposable income to begin with.

There are other less large cheap stores they could attract to DC. Walmart is no big loss.

yes, people with money don't generally go to wal-mart. but some do, because they like a bargain and don't care about principles.

you do know almost 20% of the population in dc is at poverty level? leave upper nw once in a while.

stop being so classist. and pg has plenty of wal-marts already. no need to sit in traffic to go to one in dc.

We make 360k HHI and I love going to wall mart because I hate spending money on things like school supplies, laundry detergent, etc.... that are the same product elsewhere.

[AroundTheBlock]

Anonymous wrote:Walmart and welfare go hand in hand.

It's not going to improve anyone's standard of living either by employment or by being able to spend money they don't really have on cheap stuff.

The people who have money in DC who have their own money are not going to shop there.

What would have happened is that people from nearby PG county would have shopped there.

Walmart doesn't attract other retail as a PP pointed out because the stores are not attracting those with large amounts of disposable income to begin with.

There are other less large cheap stores they could attract to DC. Walmart is no big loss.

WOW. This is a perfect example of people who don't know what they're talking about acting like they do. Let me completely prove you wrong in so many ways.

It's not going to improve anyone's standard of living either by employment or by being able to spend money they don't really have on cheap stuff.
Wrong. While many people want to hate stores like WalMart they have a major customer base because living life is not cheap. There are many people who live paycheck to paycheck and need to buy cheaper products for their families. Why do you think WalMart does so well? Also, with the amount of unemployed people in DC you really think it's not going to help families? All these people living in section 8 housing in DC NEED jobs. One for money and two to get their ass off the street.

The people who have money in DC who have their own money are not going to shop there.
This is wrong on so many levels and it's laughable. Smart people who have money spend their money the same way they make it - reasonably. My family makes over $400k a year. We shop my Target, Costco, and even KMart if we're near it for all our basic needs. I've shopped with WalMart also for household items and needs. Just because it's cheap doesn't mean wealthy people won't shop there. This particular comment from you is the worst.

I have a family friend who is worth, literally, over $100 million - literally. He invests and develops commercial real estate all over DC and a few other states. Guess what car he drives? A Honda CRV. Guess where he buys his clothes from? Macys. This man is worth OVER $100 MILLION!

What would have happened is that people from nearby PG county would have shopped there.
Is there something wrong with that?

Walmart doesn't attract other retail as a PP pointed out because the stores are not attracting those with large amounts of disposable income to begin with.
So wrong I don't even know where to start. It's clear you know nothing about real estate or business operations. Not all stores are looking for high income customers. Service stores such as CVS, Hair Cuttery, Subway, Pizza Hut, Dominoes, Dunkin Donuts, ATT/Verizon/Spring, small restaurants, etc...these are all stores who LOVE anchor stores such as Walmart.

There are other less large cheap stores they could attract to DC. Walmart is no big loss.
Another clear indication you don't even know what the bill is talking about. They are forcing all big box stores that use more than 7500sqft of space to pay $12.50 an hour. I am willing to bet a few hundred dollars you don't even know how much space 7500sqft is. It's not that big for a commercial store. This bill, if passed by the mayor, not only hurts WalMart but any big box store. This is not in the best interest of DC.

[Anonymous]

AroundTheBlock wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Walmart and welfare go hand in hand.

It's not going to improve anyone's standard of living either by employment or by being able to spend money they don't really have on cheap stuff.

The people who have money in DC who have their own money are not going to shop there.

What would have happened is that people from nearby PG county would have shopped there.

Walmart doesn't attract other retail as a PP pointed out because the stores are not attracting those with large amounts of disposable income to begin with.

There are other less large cheap stores they could attract to DC. Walmart is no big loss.

WOW. This is a perfect example of people who don't know what they're talking about acting like they do. Let me completely prove you wrong in so many ways.

It's not going to improve anyone's standard of living either by employment or by being able to spend money they don't really have on cheap stuff.
Wrong. While many people want to hate stores like WalMart they have a major customer base because living life is not cheap. There are many people who live paycheck to paycheck and need to buy cheaper products for their families. Why do you think WalMart does so well? Also, with the amount of unemployed people in DC you really think it's not going to help families? All these people living in section 8 housing in DC NEED jobs. One for money and two to get their ass off the street.

The people who have money in DC who have their own money are not going to shop there.
This is wrong on so many levels and it's laughable. Smart people who have money spend their money the same way they make it - reasonably. My family makes over $400k a year. We shop my Target, Costco, and even KMart if we're near it for all our basic needs. I've shopped with WalMart also for household items and needs. Just because it's cheap doesn't mean wealthy people won't shop there. This particular comment from you is the worst.

I have a family friend who is worth, literally, over $100 million - literally. He invests and develops commercial real estate all over DC and a few other states. Guess what car he drives? A Honda CRV. Guess where he buys his clothes from? Macys. This man is worth OVER $100 MILLION!

What would have happened is that people from nearby PG county would have shopped there.
Is there something wrong with that?

Walmart doesn't attract other retail as a PP pointed out because the stores are not attracting those with large amounts of disposable income to begin with.
So wrong I don't even know where to start. It's clear you know nothing about real estate or business operations. Not all stores are looking for high income customers. Service stores such as CVS, Hair Cuttery, Subway, Pizza Hut, Dominoes, Dunkin Donuts, ATT/Verizon/Spring, small restaurants, etc...these are all stores who LOVE anchor stores such as Walmart.

There are other less large cheap stores they could attract to DC. Walmart is no big loss.
Another clear indication you don't even know what the bill is talking about. They are forcing all big box stores that use more than 7500sqft of space to pay $12.50 an hour. I am willing to bet a few hundred dollars you don't even know how much space 7500sqft is. It's not that big for a commercial store. This bill, if passed by the mayor, not only hurts WalMart but any big box store. This is not in the best interest of DC.

Why would CVS open a location near Walmart?

That wouldn't make sense to the CVS execs who want to make money. If the CVS already exists when Walmart is built, that's one thing but to build it near a Walmart is bad business planning.

Also, when you are serving a large population of paycheck to paycheck and low income families, businesses know that the disposable income only goes so far and it's only going to go as far as the place with the cheapest price.

So no, big retailers are not going to be attracted to a location near a Walmart that is also near or in an area that doesn't have a population with a large income base.

Lastly, I am guessing you don't realize that Walmart in many areas have right inside the store hair cutting places, nail places, food places (including the aforementioned Subway), banks, etc. In lower income areas, they make sure to make them self a one stop shopping experience.

[Anonymous]

AroundTheBlock wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Walmart and welfare go hand in hand.

It's not going to improve anyone's standard of living either by employment or by being able to spend money they don't really have on cheap stuff.

The people who have money in DC who have their own money are not going to shop there.

What would have happened is that people from nearby PG county would have shopped there.

Walmart doesn't attract other retail as a PP pointed out because the stores are not attracting those with large amounts of disposable income to begin with.

There are other less large cheap stores they could attract to DC. Walmart is no big loss.

WOW. This is a perfect example of people who don't know what they're talking about acting like they do. Let me completely prove you wrong in so many ways.

It's not going to improve anyone's standard of living either by employment or by being able to spend money they don't really have on cheap stuff.
Wrong. While many people want to hate stores like WalMart they have a major customer base because living life is not cheap. There are many people who live paycheck to paycheck and need to buy cheaper products for their families. Why do you think WalMart does so well? Also, with the amount of unemployed people in DC you really think it's not going to help families? All these people living in section 8 housing in DC NEED jobs. One for money and two to get their ass off the street.

The people who have money in DC who have their own money are not going to shop there.
This is wrong on so many levels and it's laughable. Smart people who have money spend their money the same way they make it - reasonably. My family makes over $400k a year. We shop my Target, Costco, and even KMart if we're near it for all our basic needs. I've shopped with WalMart also for household items and needs. Just because it's cheap doesn't mean wealthy people won't shop there. This particular comment from you is the worst.

I have a family friend who is worth, literally, over $100 million - literally. He invests and develops commercial real estate all over DC and a few other states. Guess what car he drives? A Honda CRV. Guess where he buys his clothes from? Macys. This man is worth OVER $100 MILLION!

What would have happened is that people from nearby PG county would have shopped there.
Is there something wrong with that?

Walmart doesn't attract other retail as a PP pointed out because the stores are not attracting those with large amounts of disposable income to begin with.
So wrong I don't even know where to start. It's clear you know nothing about real estate or business operations. Not all stores are looking for high income customers. Service stores such as CVS, Hair Cuttery, Subway, Pizza Hut, Dominoes, Dunkin Donuts, ATT/Verizon/Spring, small restaurants, etc...these are all stores who LOVE anchor stores such as Walmart.

There are other less large cheap stores they could attract to DC. Walmart is no big loss.
Another clear indication you don't even know what the bill is talking about. They are forcing all big box stores that use more than 7500sqft of space to pay $12.50 an hour. I am willing to bet a few hundred dollars you don't even know how much space 7500sqft is. It's not that big for a commercial store. This bill, if passed by the mayor, not only hurts WalMart but any big box store. This is not in the best interest of DC.

You are mistaken on your first point. From today's Post: http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/five-myths-about-wal-mart/2013/07/12/59bcb04a-ea39-11e2-a301-ea5a8116d211_story.html
Myth #3: Walmart is good for low income Americans: "Prioritizing consumption (what we pay for goods) over production (what workers earn for making goods) means that even low-income families whose economic futures have been jeopardized by the outsourcing of manufacturing jobs can see Wal-Mart as a savior, not a villain. Yet the retail giant’s genius lies in camouflaging its exploitation in terms that frame its relentless cost-cutting as a kind of benevolence."

[Anonymous]

PP, have you never looked around the area by the Target in DC? There is a CVS across the street, a Bed Bath and Beyond in the same complex as well as a Best Buy. All of the things you can buy in those stores you can also buy in the Target but they still want to be near the Target anyway because they know that people shop at different places. A Walmart would be the same way. Also, if you have ever been to any of the Walmart heavy areas in the burbs/smaller cities you would know that there are always lots of other retail options right near the Walmart. My Sister is in Columbia South Carolina and they have tons of Walmarts and also nearby grocery stores from other chains, drugstores, and on and on. The idea that nothing will locate near a Walmart is just not true at all.

[Anonymous]

There are other less large cheap stores they could attract to DC. Walmart is no big loss.
Another clear indication you don't even know what the bill is talking about. They are forcing all big box stores that use more than 7500sqft of space to pay $12.50 an hour. I am willing to bet a few hundred dollars you don't even know how much space 7500sqft is. It's not that big for a commercial store. This bill, if passed by the mayor, not only hurts WalMart but any big box store. This is not in the best interest of DC.

I'm pretty sure it's 75,000 square feet, which would definitely only cover big box stores.