Walmart Thoughts

I realize right off that it's dangerous in some circles to talk about Walmart, since I once mentioned in a newspaper column that we shop at Walmart and I got about eight letters ranging from entreating to vicious.

I have never really researched this but I believe the biggest complaints that people have about Walmart are that they push smaller businesses out of town (definitely true) and that they exploit someone--I'm not sure if it's their workers or the foreign workers that make their products.

If it's the foreign workers, I don't really understand why people single out Walmart. I would guess that almost every big American company overseas exploits their workers. We've all heard the stories about Nike, and I've read about the garment suppliers for Gap and Tommy Hilfiger and others who aren't any better.

I do as little shopping as possible but I do still on occasion go to Walmart. In fact, yesterday I had a marathon day in town and hit Walmart, the biggest mall in town, Heinke's the bathroom fan supplier, St. Vinnie's, Goodwill, and a bunch of other places.

(Stepping on soapbox here). . . If we're going to boycott places because of how they exploit people, let's all boycott the mall. As I walked down the hallway I saw a group of wild-haired multi-pierced fishnet-stockinged combat-booted girls sashaying along near Abercrombie and Fitch, where an enormous poster of a buff undressed guy attempted unsuccessfully to lure me inside.

The message that the mall shouts is that you have to have the right words on your sweatshirt, the right shoes, the right expensive everything, or you are uncool, worthless, outside the inner circle, the lowest mockery of humanity.

At Walmart, jeans-and-sweatshirted people bought popcorn and light bulbs. The message that Walmart sends is, "Hey, you're out of shampoo. Why don't you get the store brand, it's just as good as Head&Shoulders?"

So where do you think I would rather send my children, and where will they be exploited the most?

(Steps off soapbox)

Walmart has filled a niche by supplying Basic Stuff. I think the people who don't like how they go about it need to seriously think about providing an alternative. If I need basic white cotton socks for Jenny, I know I can go to Walmart and they'll be there.

Also, Walmart has fabric, one of the few such places left in town. JoAnn's has gone over to bridal fabric and Pittsburgh Steelers fabric and stretchy sequined fabric, but at Walmart you can still buy the basics.

And they still have that dollar-a-yard table, so if you have a daughter learning to sew, you can have her experiment on something cheap.

But now Walmart is phasing out their fabric departments. The new stores don't have any at all, and the rumor is that the rest are closing down in the next year. I talked to the clerk at Walmart about it yesterday. It's all decided back in Arkansas, she said. They have very little to do with the decision.

I have often said that what this area needs is a good fabric store, catering to everyone from quilters to Mennonites to people just learning to sew. There are quilt shops with $7-a-yard cottons, but no place with a good variety and particularly not with pretty dress fabrics.

If I weren't so busy with writing and all it entails, I could probably start a fabric store at this time in my life. Since I'm not ready to give up writing just yet, maybe someone else will step into the gap here. There are some vacant stores in Harrisburg just waiting for you. And if no one else does, I guess I have a decision to make. . .

Quote of the Day:
Ben: What's something a good Mennonite housewife does that applies to physics?
Me: I don't know, popping popcorn?
Ben: No, canning! Cuz you know the whole thing of pressure, temperature, and volume?
Me: Indeed.