I'll admit that the publicity of a store opening is overblown. I suspect the novelty will wear off in a couple of weeks. As to hurting other businesses, I'm mixed. I don't like seeing businesses going belly-up and people left jobless. On the other hand, they saw the handwriting. They should have anticpated the competition and gotten innovative.

Competitive businesses don't spring up and thrive for no reason. Toyota got the jump on hybrids while the big three mass produced SUVs. If there were no Walmart, something like it would be there.

We'll see how many businesses in the vicinity continue to compete.  I understand your point about the writing being on the wall all too well.  But we have a situation here where one business has entered an industry (the grocery business), and will go against all the norms in that industry in terms of employee compensation, benefits, etc.  Grocery stores like Albertsons, Vons, etc. will struggle against the price-slashing Wal Mart grocery store and will be forced to cut costs to compete, more than likely resulting in an overall depression in wages and benefits for employees in the industry.  Remember the VONS employees strike a few years ago? Those cutbacks vons was making then was in anticipation of wal mart entering the business.  

In the long runs, consumers attitudes will change and perhaps they will begin to value factors besides price (but not in this current recession-plagued economy), and Wal Mart may find itself increasing employee comp and benefits to improve its public image and remain competitive. A lot of communities don't want Super wal marts built in their limits.  But alas, bakersfield will never be one of those places.

What local businesses will be negatively affected by that WalMart as opposed to the other cookie cutter shops alreay there?

I don't find the prices at the WalMart in Bakersfield all that cheap. The service is somehwere between bad and tolerable at the WalMart on White Lane.  I would not expect much difference at the WalMart on Panama.

along panama lane, i can't think of any mom & pop places that would be hurt--there isn't really any of those places left.  all "cookie cutters" these days.  Maybe its just me, but i'd rather see a host of specialized "cookie-cutters" sprinkled up and down panama lane than supergiganticwalmart..  

i don't really shop at wal mart, so i don't know how cheap their prices really are.  but either way, wal mart has done a great job of creating the perception that they have the lowest prices in our minds.  Customer service is expected to be horrible at a place like that, as its not marketing itself as the customer service leader or for having the widest most attractive shopping isles...they're here to compete on price.   the worst industry to be in, from a business standpoint. is one where you are left to compete on price alone my prediction- albertsons on panama and wible doesn't last more than a year..

we already know what wal mart has done for years, across america...in terms of beating out its competitors and subsequently closing down mom n pop shops all over the country.  now they're venturing into the grocery business. as a community, is the presence of super walmart a good thing?  

 Wal Mart may find itself increasing employee comp and benefits to improve its public image and remain competitive.

LOL... You are kidding, right?  GM raised their wages and benefits for years...  Now they are bankrupt.  What is worse?  Working for a company that pays market wages, or being unemployed from a company that paid unsustainable wages and benefits??

Ron...a lot of other firms have raised wages and benefits over the years and remained successful.  GM had a host of other problems,  But the reality is, for decades now, the grocery store business has provided great compensation and health benefits to their employees.  not just one firm, but every big firm in the industry.  a player as big as wal-mart is an instant threat to all firms in the grocery store business, and they will set a trend for the industry as a whole.  

as for my line that you quoted, i said that wal mart may end up having to do that in the future, if its public image deteriorates.  under a better economy, more people may be willing to stay away from wal mart because of those reasons. 

Obviously thirtysomething didn't read my comments about working for Walmart and the benefits there.

Why didn't I hear the howls when Albertsons and Vons took over the grocery market?  And now someone feels sorry for Albertsons because WM Supercenter opened?

I remember when KMart opened and offered loooow prices.  Remember blue light special?  Now that they're 3rd on the list they deserve sympathy but what about who they put out of business?  No one complains about Target but WM is the big evil.  Amazing.

Simply amazing.

edited..gads..too many typos

By the way, WM did just fine before the recession..they'll do fine afterwards.

One other point.  If you get bad service at WM it's your fault.  When I worked there if a customer got ticked off and went to management the associate got a talking to.  A couple of those and the associate was written up.  A couple of those and you were out the door.

You get the service you expect and accept.

Nancy, were you a greeter?

thirtysomething, why would you ask if I was a greeter?

As for me being on top of things.. a gal who worked there and I became friends meet up every couple of weeks for lunch.  (I also help out on someof her volunteer projects)  We have both long since left.  However we still have friends and co workers there so between us we keep up.  I also know a few people from other stores and stay informed.

It ain't whacha know, it's who you know.

Remember when Albertsons gobbled the mom and pops?  So now Walmart moves in.  Finally, some competition...

"thirtysomething, why would you ask if I was a greeter?"

It's because you're a nice person, Nancy .

--virgil

 Why didn't I hear the howls when Albertsons and Vons took over the grocery market?  And now someone feels sorry for Albertsons because WM Supercenter opened? Both of those grocery stores employed union workers with good benefits that helped a community, Nancy. When the union went out on strike five plus years ago, and got no support from the public and lost the wage and benefit battle to management many of the best benefits were dramatically reduced. I don't  know where the employees stand at those two chains today. However, you seem to imply that all major chains are/were the same. Up until this decade there were vast differences between department store chains, specialty retail chains,Target, Best Buy and Circuit City when compared to WalMart. Many of the department stores are gone for good taking good jobs and benefits with them. The problem with WalMart is that they have perfected the part-time-hour full-time-employee routine to keep the vast majority of their employees at, or just above the poverty level. Your support of WalMart is astounding given that company's scorched earth business policies and what the economic fallout throughout the country has been due to those same practices.

How can you support a company that has been found guilty of locking their own employees in their stores until the perceived work was accomplished but without pay for those extra hours of work? How do support a company that has been convicted of practising gender bias against women? Are you in favor of companies that operate in that manner?

 Many of the department stores are gone for good taking good jobs and benefits with them.

That is what happens when you pay unsustainable wages and benefits...

Wal Mart blows.

The reason why some of us target Walmart is because they are a GIANT compared to anyone else.  Walmart has so much purchasing power that when they tell a supplier to lower their prices, many of them have no choice but to ask, "by how much?"  Of course, these days, most of the suppliers are coming from China, so it doesn't really have the same effect as it did a few decades ago.

I don't care how low Walmart's grocery prices are, I prefer not to support them at all.

We shop at Walmart as little as possible, which is pretty close to zero, exactly for the reasons many have outlned above. They are huge and have not used their power for good in many cases. Squeezing suppliers for lower prices, buying junk made overseas by the poorest of the poor in horrible labor conditions; paying their own workers paltry wages, etc.

As for the crowd cheering, it was either orchestrated or is proof that consumerism really has become an idol in our culture.

I like to spend my money on companies like GM, that produce crappy products, pay unsustainable wages, and then go out of business, turning the community into a modern day Dresden..

Adam the only thing unions and union dues are good for is to get their paws into Politics ....as the unions that run the ploice, teachers and or our prisons......Oh yeah you would know that but you dont have a job...see the reason why people walked pass all those overpaid grocers .....was they were rude and un helpful when they were to do a job then wanted us to suppport them so they can get more money to treat the public like crap ( generalization not all) but since Walmart opponents use generalizations I can too....

ronmexico your right GM, Chrysler and Ford all union shitty products Toyota and Honda no unions great products  

thirtysomething and adam are mad at walmart cause they dont take food stamps .....

It seems to me the specialty stores around the new walmart (Starbucks, etc.) probably will see an increase in business from the greatly increased traffic.  I don't know of a nearby grocery store.

The picture showed the employees cheering, not the customers.

Community service?  From the sidebar of th earticle.

"The Wal-Mart Foundation awarded $28,000 in grants to local community organizations as part of Wednesday's Panama Lane store grand opening. The recipients were: Bakersfield Christmas Parade, Bakersfield Firefighters' Burn Foundation, Bakersfield Memorial Hospital, Bakersfield Police Activities League, Community Action Partnership of Kern, Golden Empire Gleaners, Greenfield Union School District, Kern County Sheriff's Mounted Search and Rescue and Kiwanis Foundation of South Bakersfield. "

 but either way, wal mart has done a great job of creating the perception that they have the lowest prices in our minds.

They do have the lowest pricest in some Wal-Marts. That's been my observation in the midwest.  I've been to some raggedy expensive ones, too.  They have one in Bakersfield.

The Rosedale store was a little higher than the others.  Demographics ya know.  It's just like anything else, know your prices or at least a ballpark and you'll find Target is a little higher on most things but might be lower on others.

There's nothing wrong with being a smart shopper.

Seems to me like the local grocery union is more worried about Fresh and Easy (all self-checkouts) than about Walmart. At least there have been union protestors outside of Fresh and Easy the last two times I shopped there. And let me tell you something most chain grocers need to start thinking about. I don't shop at Fresh and Easy for the prices. I shop there because I can pick up decent zucchini, grapes and other produce. The prices are just a bonus. I have not seen any other shop besides Trader Joes that has reliable produce quality, particularly for zucchini (I'm picky about that one in particular because Vons and Albertsons zucchini is always pathetic when I check the produce aisle).

My granddaughter thanks you Shwaine.  Her promotion depends on the stores growing.