Mattloch

That Wal-Mart is generating none of that as that building was never finished. It is just the block walls there. No glass, no interior walls - -zip,nada, nothin' but a shell.

"now they're getting the noise and fumes from refer trailers at 3am, dumpsters filled with rotting food, and nothing but a 6-foot block wall to separate them and it. "

Why would the dumpsters be filled from rotting food and refer trailers for Lowe's?

As for what the city penciled in on the "city plan' that is only good until the next developer spreads cash around.

Welcome to Southeast Bakersfield!

mattloch, I watched the planning dept. hearing on that shopping center before they were approved. Not one individual got up and condemned the plan. Just where do you get your info? And who appointed you the little neighborhood watchdog?

Sales at pre-existing supermarkets slid by between 10% and 20% generally after the opening of the supercenter. Those most gravely impacted were three Albertsons stores, lost sales of which represent over a quarter of Wal-Mart's grocery sales. Raley's loss represents about 19% of Wal-Mart's gain, Smith's 14% and Scolari's 13%, according to the study.

One important conclusion that can be drawn from the data is that better independent supermarket operators don't necessarily suffer any more than chains. Deep pockets, though, can help a supermarket survive a supercenter opening. As one or two food retailers are likely to fail in the aftermath, supermarket operators who can outlast at least a couple of rivals should survive.

"What we see in Carson City is that Albertsons and Safeway are vulnerable," Rodgers said. "Overall, the major chains are the more vulnerable, other than little independents who have empty pockets."

DSR Marketing conducted a study of the impact of a supercenter in Carson City, Nev. After the Wal-Mart supercenter opened there, no supermarket closed--a Kmart supercenter exited the market as part of that retailer's retrenchment--but four of seven supermarkets became marginally profitable or unprofitable, according to DSR analysis.

Another supercenter is opening in the market and, according to DSR projections, two to four supermarkets should close in the aftermath. "When the second supercenter opens in Carson City, there will be closures," said David Rogers, president of DSR Marketing.

The result will be a massive redistribution of food shoppers. If the two highest-volume supermarkets, an Albertsons and a Safeway, fold, $550,000 in weekly sales will be up for grabs, according to DSR numbers. If the two lowest-volume stores close, another Albertsons and a Scolari's, another $450,000 in weekly sales will be left for the taking. With two supercenters, Wal-Mart may well double the second-place participant in sales and will be in a position to be the overwhelming beneficiary of supermarket closings.

I actually read that EIR. I know what it said. My comments are written into the record. I'm not a "watchdog" for that neighborhood, I'm just a person who paid attention and knows whats going on. Can you say the same?

Mattloch

"now they're getting the noise and fumes from refer trailers at 3am, dumpsters filled with rotting food, and nothing but a 6-foot block wall to separate them and it."

"It will when it's finished"

"I'm just a person who paid attention and knows whats going on."

You are just amazing!

http://graphics.jsonline.co...>

Tom, none of the stores, in either of those articles have closed. Apparently, the math projecting the doom and gloom was a little fuzzy.

COSTCO employee’s are unionized.

The problem with the Panama Lane WalMart is the traffic congestion. There is only one controlled entrance. And it is insufficient to even handle the Lowe’s traffic. This was a poorly designed shopping area. Pushed through the environmental process because of the overwhelming power of the WalMart conglomerate.

Why was WalMart allowed to dead-end Hughes Lane South? Access from Hughes Lane would have brought partial traffic relief.

The only possible solution to the traffic problem now, would be a completely redesigned freeway overpass, along with direct freeway access to WalMart/Lowes..

Absolutely no one with eyes or ears. Could deny there is no other possible solution to the traffic congestion already present in that area.

2. How is costco and all these other big projects able to get approval before walmart when they started
after them.

TK says:

Have you ever been to the site of the proposed Wal-Mart on Panama?

If you had. And compared it to the intersection in front of the New COSTCO. You would know that there is no comparison with regards to traffic mitigation. WalMart blew their selection of sites. It was a cheap unused piece of property. Without a doubt not even suited for the traffic caused by the present Lowe’s. Never mind a Wal-Mart..

Someone is ignoring the fact that the county approved that site.  Then reneged.  Walmart spent a lot of money and now has an abandoned half built building.  They did the same thing with the Sams Club and then threatened to have the entire area razed along with Kohls.  I guess that one didn't fly so well.

The issue at the time was..how could a non union store like Winco or Costco get built without the union fronting a big campaign to stop it like they did with the Supercenters?  It had nothing to do with location and everything to do with some kind of hanky panky.

Only someone who is extremely naive believed that the movement to stop the supercenters was a grass roots campaign.

COSTCO employee’s are unionized.

It had nothing to do with location and everything to do with some kind of hanky panky.

First of all I need to make a correction.  Where I referred to the county earlier should hve been the city.  The location of Lowes and the supercenter is almost directly off the freeway so I'm not seeing the traffic problem that's mentioned here.  The Rosedale Costco site is a much bigger nightmare than the Panama Lane site.  The only thing I don't like about the Panama site is the weird way it's set up..sort of in a curve.    Another issue "they" brought up was the blight left by WM leaving huge stores empty with the new centers being built.  Well la-dee-dah, I believe there were TWO huge stores left empty when Costco and Home Depot abandoned their sites off BO Blvd.  That sort of added to the blight of that neighborhood even tho Furniture City finally moved into one of them.   But, of course, as usual, WM is the only villain in the mix.

As for Costco being or not being Union..someone mentioned it was an employee owned store..I don't know and didn't check it out.  That wasn't my point.  My POINT was that when the supercenters were to be built, the "grass roots" (read union backed) movement threw a fit and got the project stalled.  There's wasn't much doubt who was behind that movement since it was heavily funded but oddly enough..had no leadership that would come forward and be identified.  The city most definitely dropped the ball when they approved BOTH sites without making everyone do the homework.  (Why is that such a surprise considering the uncontrolled growth with housing?) and my comment then was that WM should sue the pants off the city. 

Then the next question was why did the city allow non union employee owned Winco to build that huge supermarket AND why did the "grassroots" (read union backed) movement not protest THAT project?  The traffic in the Winco area is atrocious and yet there it sits.

No hanky panky?  ...  Suuuuuure there wasn't.

I should make it clear that I'm not necessarily a WM fan.  I'm a fan of saving money.  I just get irked when I see how the WM haters jumped on the bandwagon to get it stopped when they thought nothing of Costco and Winco plowing right in.  WM drove the little businesses out but Costco didn't affect them at all?  Hmm..strange thinking.   You don't like the pay WM gives their employees?..Tough..it's a free market.  I like saving money..I can't afford to go out and spend my dollars at stores who are overpriced, and have no need to buy in bulk since I'm only feeding myself and two dogs.  A supercenter would work for me.  Not all of us want to pay what (?)  50-60 bucks a year membership when they only grocery shop once a month and spend under 100 bucks? 

Nancy says:

why did the "grassroots" (read union backed) movement not protest THAT project

TK says:

Because this, "grassroots" (read union backed) movement, is a phigment of your imagination. See a sycologist.    

The fact that the City dropped the ball. Is not the fault of any protest group. If you can tell me a way to mitigated a further increase in traffic at the Wal-Mart Panama lane site. Feel free to do so.

I am telling you it can not be done in a cost effective manner. Any investment by a governmental organization would be a waste of taxpayer funds. If this type of governmental mitigation would have been offered to others. Dozens of corporations and business would have built there decades ago. Why the special treatment for Wal-Mart?

Either someone dropped the ball. Someone was incompetent. Or someone was improperly persuaded.

Just like any other housing or business expansion. Traffic mitigation must be paid for by the those that create it. And in the case of the Panama site. It will not happen.

That is the reality.

Annoy says:

And exactly how did Costco at Rosedale and 99 mitigate the traffic congestion there??

TK says:

You could drop a 500 lb. bomb in the middle of Rosedale Hwy. And the traffic congestion would not be as bad as that in front of the Panama site. And the Wal-Mart has yet to open.

     First of all, traffic anywhere on Rosedale Hwy is way worse than anything I've seen on Gosford Rd. or Panama Ln.  At about 2pm on usually some Tuesday afternoons, I travel down both of those roads and right by the disputed Walmart on my way to my Northwest home after shopping at Costco on Panama.  I'm sure traffic near the disputed Walmart is bad at rush hour, but Rosedale is bad at any time of day, especially near Hwy 99.

     Second, I like saving money too.  I think anyone does.  There's no better feeling than having a little extra money.  So that's why I have a Costco membership.  My mom and I shop there on Tuesdays occasionally (about once a month).  I know I will save more than the $50 ANNUAL membership fee that Costco charges its members.  For example,  I could pay about $14 for 4 pounds of Jelly Belly jelly beans.  Those are normally I think $6.49 per pound at Save Mart.  Or I could pay about $14-$15 for a 24-pack of Costco's house brand (Kirkland Signatures) weight-loss drinks (off brand equivalent of Slim Fast).  Slim Fast costs $7.99 for a six-pack at Save Mart.  Target charged like $3.79 for its off brand weight-loss drinks.  Go do the math.  I drink 2 of those a day, so I must find the best price possible.  I usually spend $120-$150 at Costco for things that may cost closer to $200 at more expensive stores  My aunt, who lives with her daughter here in Bakersfield, also likes her Costco card.  By the way, a huge pack of dog food (like 50 pounds) I think is just over $20.

     Also, I am a Walmart fan and don't understand why only they get all the criticism (simply because they are Walmart).  There are so many other discount stores, such as Winco, and you hear nothing bad about them.  The criticism against Walmart should stop.  I think employees should be paid well, but I want to enjoy saving money at the discount stores, such as Winco and Walmart.

Frustrated writes:

>>  Typical Greedy Union Workers...The displaced Union grocery workers can always work somewhere else...The displaced Union grocery workers can always work somewhere else. They can go to school and earn a high income in a demanding field if they really wanted to. But they would rather screw the Consumer.

     Even though I am a fan of discount stores (see my other comment also dated 3/18/07), I was angered that higher-priced Ralphs closed down.  Their reason was that they say weren't making enough money.  My mom put in about 20 years (many of those at Lucky's before they were bought out) and my sister put in  and 3-4 years, and they, along with many other workers at Ralphs probably enjoyed their  jobs there.  They were frustrated with the strike.  I'm sure many though their jobs were secure when the new contract was signed about 6 months later.  But, not long after the strike, in early 2005, Ralphs decided to shut down, forcing many of its workers to find new jobs in Bakersfield or face LA traffic to continue working for Ralphs.  My mom drove to Valencia to work at the store there, but didn't like the traffic and distance.  If she worked 4p-midnight, she'd be out of the house from about 2p-2a, thanks to the drive.  She's now at See's Candies here in Bakersfield and likes it alot. 

      My mom has told me and told me that Ralphs pays good benefits and her wage wasn't bad (nearly $20 an hour and she didn't go to college).

My opinion on opening Hughes Lane as another entrance / exit for the shopping center. That would be an extemely bad idea! Hughes Lane south of Fairview Rd is a narrow residential street with homes on both sides. It would be nearly impossible to widen the road (short of removing the homes). The additional traffic on Hughes would create a nightmare (especially for pedestrians). I know the traffic on Panama Ln / 99 is terrible, but opening Huges Ln would be a BIG mistake. More careful traffic planning / consideration should have taken place before the project was approved in the first place. Traffic has been a big problem in the area for years.

youre all right when it comes to traffic.  and the westside parkway (which they call a freeway), well im going to call it a joke until (if they ever) plan for it to connect to freeway 99.