Walmart

[BillyGr]

Another thing all big 3 hamburger chains have in common:
They all serve Coca-Cola products.

McDonalds always has, not sure about the others.  I know one thing Coke did was around the time Pepsi started owning places (Taco Bell, KFC etc.) was going to other chains and pointing out that their beverage supplier was also now a competitor, which did cause some to switch to Coke products.

[BillyGr]

Is it me or does every Wal Mart store look dumpy. You think with the money they make they could make the inside look nice.

Probably why they are as profitable as they are - make money, spend as little as possible.

[TheFugitive]

IMO, Walmarts started to look a whole lot dumpier when they started
trying to make the stores "green" in order to make nice with the
environmentalists 7 or 8 years ago.

Mine cut a bunch of skylights in the roof and went with low-wattage bulbs.
Unless there is full-on sunshine the interior of the store always seems to
be dark.  Don't even get me started on the restrooms.

[Bdubs]

Is it me or does every Wal Mart store look dumpy. You think with the money they make they could make the inside look nice.

I think its the clientelle that contributes to that problem as well. Trash everywhere, from the parking lot into every aisle of the store. Just disgusting.

[TRU7536]

I never been a fan of Wal-Mart, their recent resigns of the outside of their stores are nice, but it ends there.

When you walk inside, its so bland and boring looking with all that blue and cheap and cheesy signs all over the place. Their stores are so dim looking and just downright depressing.

When you walk into Target, its the opposite,  their bright with a lot of color. Also the clientele is very difference bw both stores.

[EddieJ1984]

I never been a fan of Wal-Mart, their recent resigns of the outside of their stores are nice, but it ends there.

When you walk inside, its so bland and boring looking with all that blue and cheap and cheesy signs all over the place. Their stores are so dim looking and just downright depressing.

When you walk into Target, its the opposite,  their bright with a lot of color. Also the clientele is very difference bw both stores.

What about Kmart, the 3rd largest discount retailer behind Walmart and Target? What happens when you walk into Kmart?

You turn around and walk back out and go "Why'd I come here again?"

[Hudsons81]

I never been a fan of Wal-Mart, their recent resigns of the outside of their stores are nice, but it ends there.

When you walk inside, its so bland and boring looking with all that blue and cheap and cheesy signs all over the place. Their stores are so dim looking and just downright depressing.

When you walk into Target, its the opposite,  their bright with a lot of color. Also the clientele is very difference bw both stores.

What about Kmart, the 3rd largest discount retailer behind Walmart and Target? What happens when you walk into Kmart?

You step into a time machine, unless it's a Super Kmart, then you'll still be stepping into one.

And if you walk into Meijer, at least they put a lot of planning and detail into their stores, plus, they're still a family-run company.

[ynkeesfn82]

It only 2 years, but a judge has dismissed Waverly Market's (Shoprite) lawsuit against Walmart for a proposed super center on Spencer Street in Manchester on the site where KMART once stood. Waverly Market was concerned traffic issues were not adequately addressed when the city approved the store 2 years ago and about competition.

http://www.courant.com/community/manchester/hc-manchester-walmart-0117-20150116-story.html

Marc's thoughts: Plan originally called for leave the Buckland Hills store open. If that's still the case I don't understand why a town the size of Manchester needs 2 Walmart stores. As for Waverly Market's concerns about competition? They need to call Don Drust at Shoprite in Wallingford. They're doing just fine even with a Walmart Super Center right next door. (Ironically also where a KMART used to be). Shoprite in Wallingford has been thriving in that spot for almost 5 years and is still doing more sales than the Shaw's that used to occupy the building Shoprite is in. There's also a nearby Stop & Shop. I don't know how they're doing.

[HannafordHearts]

I sort of get the feeling that in the next few years the rotterdam mall is going to become a big box center with the walmart on altamont ave becoming a super walmart in Rotterdam NY or atleast relocating to the mall

The Rotterdam Mall isn't doing well, especially with the coming closure of Macy's. I wouldn't be surprised if something did happen to it in the next decade or so.

Here's a question: are there any Walmart stores out there that have a restaurant tenant other than Checkers, McDonald's, Subway, Sonic, Auntie Anne's, Papa John's, Papa Murphy's, Wendy's or Dunkin Donuts? I wouldn't be surprised if there's a Walmart out there with a Burger King as the restaurant tenant-if that's the case, then they've covered the "big 3" fast-food hamburger chains.

There is a Burger King inside a Walmart in Newport News, VA (source: https://flic.kr/p/nyTVs7)


I have never seen Checkers, Sonic, Papa John's, Papa Murphy's, or Wendy's inside a Walmart. :/  However, I know a couple of Walmarts have/had Blimpie sandwich shops. There was one at the store in Clifton Park, NY, but it's now a Subway.

[Retail Fan+ (Justin Hill)]

Another thing all big 3 hamburger chains have in common:

They all serve Coca-Cola products.

Yes, but with a few exceptions:

* At one time, Wendy's served Pepsi products before making the big switch to Coke in the early '00s.
* Burger King switched to Pepsi products in 1984, only to switch back to Coke in 1990.
* McDonald's has a long-standing contract with Coca-Cola, but they do sell Pepsi products at a few locations (examples include a McDonald's in one of the Mall of America's food courts, and the McDonald's at Fenway Park.).

[Hudsons81]

There is a Burger King inside a Walmart in Newport News, VA (source: https://flic.kr/p/nyTVs7)

And a brand-new one as well, just opened last year.

And even more interesting, one of the past tenants of that space was a McDonald's, according to the comments.

Also according to the comments, I've heard that a few other Walmarts are supposed to be getting BKs too, so apparently their exclusive deal with Subway has lapsed and Walmart is just now allowing pretty much any restaurant to open in their stores.

[jason83080]

That BK looks like it'd already been there & done, and is a sign removal away from becoming another front-end junk storage room, as Super Kmart is known for doing with their failed store-within-a-store spaces.  :(

[Hudsons81]

That BK looks like it'd already been there & done, and is a sign removal away from becoming another front-end junk storage room, as Super Kmart is known for doing with their failed store-within-a-store spaces.  :(

Actually, that was taken as finishing work was taking place. It doesn't even look like it's closing, then again, this is Walmart we're talking about here.

[jason83080]

Actually, that was taken as finishing work was taking place. It doesn't even look like it's closing, then again, this is Walmart we're talking about here.

I took the bakery around the side and the fenced/cordoned off all-dark entrance to mean that it'd already been there and done, and was now being consumed by the bakery area. If it's just getting ready to open, that's great, although aren't Walmarts only set up one of two ways anymore (restaurants/everything in the front by the registers, or the old way with Customer Service next to the restaurant leading toward men's clothing)? I thought they were all made uniform with the various renovations.

[ynkeesfn82]

Today I was at the Walmart in Bristol, Connecticut. They had a For Lease Sign in the spot where the photo studio was until a couple of years ago when Picture Me decided to close. During TAX Season they let Jackson Hewitt operate in that spot. Other times of the year Walmart has merchandise there for sale.  The sign said Walmart In-Store Leasing Opportunity Available and it had a phone number with a 479 area code, which is the area code for corporate in Bentonville, Arkansas.

It should be interesting to see what ends up leasing space there. They already have an in-store Subway next to it. (Not that the space is big enough for another eatery, unless they have it set up like a Food Court Space at the mall. Some Walmarts have hair salons in them. Others have banks. The one in Waterbury, Connecticut has space leased to a nail salon.

[Hudsons81]

Today I was at the Walmart in Bristol, Connecticut. They had a For Lease Sign in the spot where the photo studio was until a couple of years ago when Picture Me decided to close. During TAX Season they let Jackson Hewitt operate in that spot. Other times of the year Walmart has merchandise there for sale.  The sign said Walmart In-Store Leasing Opportunity Available and it had a phone number with a 479 area code, which is the area code for corporate in Bentonville, Arkansas.

Sounds similar to the signs Meijer posts for their vacant in-store alcoves and exterior outlot parcels. They post a link to their real estate site and a phone number with the area code 616, which is the area code for their headquarters in Walker, Michigan (a northwestern suburb of Grand Rapids).

[buzz86us]

the Wal-Mart in Latham NY is literally the pits they have displays still up for the Nook Color, they have a Zune HD too..it is like Raiders of the lost Wal-Mart over there

[BillyGr]

the Wal-Mart in Latham NY is literally the pits they have displays still up for the Nook Color, they have a Zune HD too..it is like Raiders of the lost Wal-Mart over there

Probably not doing much knowing it will be moving to the mall as soon as they get that built.

[TheFugitive]

I dunno.  As a hardlines manager my DM would have reamed me but good for that.

[HannafordHearts]

the Wal-Mart in Latham NY is literally the pits they have displays still up for the Nook Color, they have a Zune HD too..it is like Raiders of the lost Wal-Mart over there

Huh, I was in that store back in December and I didn't notice that. I was in electronics too. Guess I must have not been paying attention :/

But if that's the case then that would mean it hasn't been updated since 2010, which is when the store was last remodeled. I know Walmart has been trying to get a Supercenter in Latham since at least 2009, and that they usually stop remodeling stores when a Supercenter is planned, but I didn't think that would go as far as to still have a Zune HD on display. :/

[TheFugitive]

Speaking of Walmart, what do you make of this?

http://consumerist.com/2015/04/16/walmart-raises-suspicions-after-closing-4-stores-in-same-day-for-plumbing-problems/

[store215]

Speaking of Walmart, what do you make of this?

http://consumerist.com/2015/04/16/walmart-raises-suspicions-after-closing-4-stores-in-same-day-for-plumbing-problems/

I don't buy 'plumbing issues' one bit. Sounds like there was a lot of union activity in/around the stores they closed.

[ynkeesfn82]

I too call BS. I worked at a store where they remodeled the entire store including the restrooms. It was a small store, so they only had one set of restrooms. For about 3 weeks they had 2 trailers outside the store with fully functioning restrooms. And those who did not want to use the trailers were welcome to use the restrooms at the liquor store in the same plaza.

[jason83080]

I'm just taken aback by the phrase "5-hour store closing sale." Did they immediately slash everything to 90% off and say, "go to town, folks"?

[Hudsons81]

I'm just taken aback by the phrase "5-hour store closing sale." Did they immediately slash everything to 90% off and say, "go to town, folks"?

Sounds like that really happened.

[ynkeesfn82]

The Subway in the Southington, CT Walmart is closed. I don't know what they're plans are. My Mom told me the sign is down and the whole thing is covered with plastic.

[ynkeesfn82]

The Subway in the Southington, CT Walmart is closed. I don't know what they're plans are. My Mom told me the sign is down and the whole thing is covered with plastic.

Update. Right after I posted this my Mom and I went to Walmart. I talked to someone I know who works at the store and he said the Subway was under-performing and the owner closed one in Waterbury too. (I don't know if he meant the one inside the Walmart or not).

[ynkeesfn82]

Walmart is changing their dress code again on July 1st. Last September they made the dress code Khaki Pants (same as it's been for several years), navy blue or white polo shirts (changed from Blue T-Shirts), and a vest. Starting July 1st employees have the option of wearing Black Denim Jeans or Khaki Jeans.

Walmart has a new CEO. His name is Doug McMillon.

By February 1st all new entry-level employees will start at $10/HR and obviously entry level employees who currently make less than that will be bumped up. Obviously in states where the minimum wage is more than $10/HR the pay will have to be adjusted accordingly. Connecticut for example has its minimum wage going up to $10.10 in January 2017.

They're also going to be revamping the music they play in their stores. Eliminating such artists as Justin Beaver (SIC) and Celine Dion.

They're also going to be adjusting the heating and cooling in the stores which is controlled from corporate in Arkansas.

http://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/thanks-boss-walmart-warms-stores-nixes-celine-dion-allows-jeans-n369671

[TheFugitive]

How is ditching Celine Dion supposed to increase sales?   ???

[JoshAustin610]

It's supposed to improve employee morale: many chains use a satellite system for their music, meaning the songs are shuffled, Walmart apparently still uses CDs, which means they hear the same songs over and over in a 4 hour loop, in the exact same order.  It's not specifically Celine Dion that's the problem, it's the repetition that gets on employees' nerves.