78,000 sf Walmart coming to SoWal [opening June15]

[LuciferSam]

Not sure how this morphed into a Publix vs. Walmart which is a true apples vs. oranges argument. I happen to be a Publix today and noticed they sell Christmas trees, Christmas decorations, firewood, dvds, newspapers, cleaning supplies, toys, cameras, batteries, light bulbs, extension cords, air freshener, candles, tools, flowers, balloons, school supplies, dishes, cookware, paper towels, toilet paper, shampoo, cosmetics, razors, magazines, books, and who knows what else. In the summer they stock up on beach towels, chairs, umbrellas, sandals, water toys, styrofoam coolers and all the other cheap crap made in the same countries other stores sell. They are out get your impulse dollars like every other retailer.

Yeah Publix will get really big and then people will turn on them. That is if Wal-Mart doesn't buy them out first. I'm kidding!

 

[PC]

for one, you are only saving on certain products. but my point was this: when you go to Walmart, you are going to do a lot more impulse buying of things you didn't need or plan to buy. when you did your analysis, did you take into consideration all the incidental items purchased while at Walmart that perhaps you did not need, plan or budget for? maybe you did. not sure how you could. I do wonder how much $$ the average consumer spends at walmart or sam's - say per year. versus those who stick to their local grocers and smaller stores.

based on my own experience over the years, shopping at Walmart and/or Sam's is exhausting and takes more time and money than I had planned. nearly every time. but, that's just me, and others I know and . maybe I didn't go often enough like some folks. so when I do go, I feel I must stock up on this and that, and some of those and hey isn't that new fangled toilet brush cute?

I would rather just go to my local stores and get in and out. for me, I do much better on time and money.. not to mention quality and customer service. the savings on time, especially driving to Destin, truly is signficant. Going to Destin is now almost never. thankfully.

yes, jdarg - Target is a time/dollar waster when you browse around and shop - they do have some good stuff. But, I am happy to have it at Pier Park - very convenient but not too convenient. Target is way more my style (than Walmart) but truthfully - I can do without Target and anything in the store.

Michael's is the one that gets me in trouble.

No, I am saving on every product I purchase there, if I didnt it would defeat the purpose of going there. Two, I am not an impulse buyer and go in with a list. If I see something I think I want I ask myself do I need it? 99% of the time the answer is no. We do also go to publix for a few items that wally does not carry. I am not saying that the shopping experience at walmart is a pleasant one but when on a budget it is the place to get 97.6% of the things we need.

Like I said what we save through the yr allows us to come down to "your" area and spend our dollars and support your local economy, we stay and dine in sowal and do not spend any $$ in destin or pcb. I believe, correct me if Im wrong, that is a win-win situation for you and your areas local merchants?

I will also speculate that there is a very large number of tourist who do the same thing I am describing. I also understand the argument of why you would not want a walmart there, but from what I see it will not be in the scenic area. How do you fight a giant such as walmart? Only way I see that happening is for the nation to boycott them, but we all know that is not going to happen.

 

[scooterbug44]

Call me old fashioned, call me a geek (I was the kid in class who always had extra pencils), but I try to keep extra cartridges etc. on hand for when one runs out, and keep a list of items needed from anywhere not in central South Walton. Then I pick up these things all in one trip rather than going all the way in for one item every other day or whatever. I usually "go to town for provisions" about once a month or less, and manage to stay supplied with all necessities, while saving gas, time and peace of mind and doing what I can to reduce the trip load on our roads. On my best behavior, I call a couple of friends before going in to see if they need me to pick up things for them while I'm at it. So I just don't see a need for big boxes any nearer than they already are.

Ditto - I might need to buy something I can't get on 30-A maybe every month or 2. I just have a running list and get it when I am by Pier Park or in Destin or FWB.

 

[Just Curious]

I don't get it... We live in a world where the majority of society works jobs they hate so we can buy more junk they don't need.

I really can not see what benefit this Walmart will do for our area in the long term.

Heck, I think they quit selling bullets years ago!

Wal-Mart didn't stop selling bullets. The Destin Wal-Mart stopped selling bullets and guns. Not sure why. But it is a little scary IMO.

 

[Chandra]

Personally, I choose not to shop at Wal-Mart for many of the reasons previously stated by Wal-Mart dissenters. I also am not in favor of a Wal-Mart in South Walton. I moved here from PCB where I reluctantly shopped at Wal-Mart out of convenience. I was very happy upon moving to SoWal to have put that distance between me and all things that remind me of Anywhere, USA, like fast food chains and big box stores. Once a month I take my list of office supplies, pet needs, etc. and make the half-day trek to Destin or Panama City. Otherwise, I choose to drive less, shop locally, order online, or do without and I don?t feel deprived in the least.

Before moving to PCB, I lived in a quaint historic Northern town outside of DC. My parents were so excited when Wal-Mart came to town, then a Kolh?s, a Best Buy, Costco, Sam?s Club, and on and on. I never ever shopped at them. I overwhelmingly preferred walking to the little boutique shops, the local diner, the drug store, etc. for all my shopping needs. They struggled to understand why I didn?t want to get out in the hustle and bustle of the ?strip? where I could buy things so much cheaper. They think SoWal is a wasteland, a beautiful wasteland, but still a wasteland. By G_d, there?s no place to shop! Of course, this is from a parent that was proud to call me at 7:00 am on Black Friday and tell me they were one of the lucky consumers who scored their purchases thanks to their vigilant 3:30 am stake out in the parking lot. Good for them, that?s not me.

These things I don?t understand and I doubt that my diatribes about the evils of consumerism and formula stores are going to sway those that seek convenience and low cost goods to a place where they feel good about spending more for quality food or (gasp) doing without. We are consumers, right? I mean it?s true; we don?t actually produce anything anymore. Do we? Do you? I do, though the majority of our industrialized, information based society doesn?t recognize making and growing things as having value. That?s another thread, I?m sure.

The point is, we as a community: locals, vacationers, and second homeowners alike, need to come to a consensus on how we envision this county in the future. Do we want fast food and big box stores? Are we going to make these stores comply with certain aesthetic guidelines? How do we keep our local economy going with or without a Wal-Mart? Do we want 98 to look like Anywhere, USA? Without a vision and conviction to enforce the vision, we will continue to be railroaded by any large corporation that sees an opportunity for the taking in our little piece of paradise. We?ll also continue to be complacent and praise them for their measly little make nice scraps they throw out to appease the masses, like a donation to this or that charity, a relocation of an endangered species, a little preservation here, and a greenway there.

Whether we agree or disagree if Wal-Mart should be here or not, I think we all agree that we like the uniqueness and charm that South Walton offers. If we want to preserve that character, we need to realistically look at how that will be accomplished.

BTW and FWIW, I completely disagree that 30A is the only corridor that has aesthetic merit and therefore the only one of importance.

Just one more word?transect.

 

[Miss Critter]

I was trying to figure out how Walmart came to the decision to build a new store here- I believe they ask for a zip code at checkout. There must be a bunch of 32459-ers shopping at the area Walmarts.

I'd be shocked if Walmart is building here based on full-time residents. They coveet our huge seasonal influx, and more likely looked at tourism numbers.

 

[Gidget]

Yes we need at least one store around here for computer supplies. Walmart generally has a pretty good selection of hard drives, paper, cartridges etc. Usually it takes no time at all to check out because the electronics has it's own registers and the lines are usually small.

I like to order items like this online - I know it isn't local but I can find the best prices this way.

G

 

[LuciferSam]

I like to order items like this online - I know it isn't local but I can find the best prices this way.

G

There will always be moments when you need something immediately. The bottom line is that in Sowal aside from food, there ain't much you can get locally.

 

[tailwagger]

There will always be moments when you need something immediately. The bottom line is that in Sowal aside from food, there ain't much you can get locally.

Tru if you need a Samsung LED TV or a new lease on a Jetta but just about everything you need you can get in SoWal. Sometimes I think the guys in the brown outfits in the brown trucks are aliens. i click a button and the next day they show up with the goods. What better way to get to know earthlings and earn their trust? Maybe one day they'll be picking up instead of dropping off, or delivering pods.

 

[GoodWitch58]

...they're saying it because it's true. Our "economy" for a couple decades has been based on borrowing money from overseas to lend to the people of the US to buy stuff they can't afford. Taking profits as money circles around the "Daisy Chain"--China, government, bankers, lenders, service workers, consumers and back to China again--is the only economic system we've got.

I know. I just wonder how it got this way; and who has the ability to think of another way to make our economy work--IMO, if we just go back to the way it was, with people buying up stuff whether they need it or, it's only a matter of time before we are right back where we are now.

It seems we need a sea-change in the way we do things--we need new ideas, new products, new jobs, etc. Surely, somewhere there is a person with an idea that will revolutionize things....