Tracy Press

A letter writer warns that a bigger big-box store could crowd out more retailers and lengthen already long lines.

I stumbled into watching a City Council meeting on television and was reminded that Wal-Mart might still become a Super Wal-Mart.

I think the idea of this supercenter is a horrible idea. It might bring a few more jobs, but it could also bring a ton of headaches. With a WinCo opening just down the street and a Costco next door, do we really need another supercenter?

All retail is being pushed onto one side of town already, and it creates a lot of people in one area. Tracy needs to focus on the downtown area along with the Valpico Road and MacArthur Drive area to expand on the other side of town to spread out the crowds.

Not to mention that the Tracy Wal-Mart is messy already, and the idea of adding produce and other perishables is scary. I do not want to find a rotten apple shoved behind a Rambo DVD.

Small businesses will suffer, big business will suffer, and Wal-Mart will continue to grow with its expansion. Businesses in Tracy are already suffering, with two big retailers closing just across the street from Wal-Mart. Do we want to add to that just to make Wal-Mart bigger?

Let us pray Wal-Mart stays the same. If Wal-Mart grows, so will its already long lines and the list of stores closing in Tracy. Then you will catch yourself in line asking, “Is it worth it to wait in line for 30 minutes to save a few dollars on groceries?”

— Edward Shoemaker, Tracy

TrackBack URI for this entry

Comments (10)

Subscribe to this comment's feed

Show/Hide comments

...
written by baritvc , July 19, 2008

All good points and I'm sure there are many in Tracy who would agree with you. I agree with you for these and many other reasons. I will not shop at a Wal-Mart Super Center.

However, there are a larger number who believe it is worth waiting 30 minutes in line to save $10, and it's worth the driving and parking headaches, etc.

So the Super Center will likely come. The part-time jobs created by Wal-Mart (which do not pay benefits, and yes, people don't have to work there if they don't want to) will off set the full time benefits paying jobs of Savemart and Safeway which will be lost. That's a net negative to the community. That's more uninsured people (who can't pay) seeking treatment at local hospitals. And when the hospitals can't collect, they raise the costs to those who can pay. And public assistances roles rise. It is difficult for people to see beyond their own pocketbook today, which you can't blame them.

...
written by maybenotdumBcommenT , July 19, 2008

A lot of people shop at WalMart and the Dollar type stores and have no medical at all and haven't for years and never will have it. Senior citizen shop there to be able to afford to live a half way decent life as well. It is not easy out there for most folks who are poor and gas prices will force people to shop at lesser costly stores.

...
written by kchapman , July 20, 2008

Super Center will be bad for Tracy
The City is only thinking of themselves.

...
written by shurban , July 20, 2008

People are free to shop there or not. This letter only considers part of the equation. People who shop here and save, now have more money to buy other things. Their purchase of other things means jobs are created in places where they never existed before, as employers hire people to make these other things. Inefficent businesses have been put out of business forever by more efficient business that can deliver goods at a cheaper price and help the consumer to raise their standards of living. People who produce buggy whips are gone, but millions of jobs worldwide have replaced them to make cars. Progress marches on.

...
written by Thinker , July 21, 2008

Maybenotdumb and shurban, do you recognize any of these other bloggers? I warned you-- the union is desperate and will come from any and all angles! Their lawyer said they understand the Super will save us 30%! Why not? You both make excellent comments, btw!
---- FREEDOM TO CHOOSE! YES on WALMART!

...
written by Thinker , July 21, 2008

--Oh, and TP needs those advertising dollars! Compare SaveMarts ads with Walmarts! Does anyone know who owns Winco, btw!?!?

...
written by Tom Benigno , July 22, 2008

To whom it may concern:

There is room for competition lets keep it that way.


t. b

...
written by solar_biscuit , July 22, 2008

Wal-mart has so much money that they can take a loss at the Tracy location until ALL of the competition goes out of business, then they have a monopoly and can charge whatever they want....It is VERY hard to find good service anymore because big corporations hire the dregs of humanity and don't pay benefits. Just food for thought.

...
written by Curb Stomp , July 22, 2008

Doing this is comparable to slathering charred steak steak with barbecue sauce. Either way its not going to be good no matter how bad you want it to be.

...
written by kchapman , July 25, 2008

Walmart is only out for it's shareholders
remember that, like Hillary Clinton

They stomp on there competition ,there vocabulary
only includes the word during there sales pitch to
the City rubber stampers then they throw it out.

Keep supporting China people and see where we end up.