You know the economy sucks when ... - Talk of the Town - talkofthetown's Blog - Bakersfield.com

Dec 4, 2008 at 04:12 PM : Considering Walmart is...

Considering Walmart is still making a profit, unlike many of it's counterparts, I'm wondering if this store closing is just a way to lean out a store which wasn't bringing in enough to be profitable. Sometimes there is such thing as over-saturation of the market.

Dec 4, 2008 at 04:12 PM : Another red letter day...

Another red letter day for your calendar FSG we agree again. Walmart didn't become the behemoth it is today by keeping under producing stores open.

The reason WM is doing better while others are down in sales is that everyone now is looking for a bargain. You can talk all you want about the "trash" that Walmart sells but their Reynolds Wrap and Charmin are the same you buy at Albertsons..only a lot cheaper. And by the way, if you REALLY want to buy locally, STOP shopping at Albertsons, Vons and the like. Start shopping at Copes, Wood Dale, Green Frog.

Don't complain about Walmart while you're sliding your debit card through Albertsons reader.

Dec 4, 2008 at 10:12 PM : It also is not...

It also is not uncommon for Walmart to close older stores, particularly when they've just built a Supercenter nearby, rather than spend money to remodel the older store.

Dec 5, 2008 at 07:12 AM : You shop at Green...

You shop at Green Frog, Nancy? I loved that place when I was growing up. I used to think it was a grocery store that only my family knew about. Walmart does the best job of all the big chains of keeping there prices low.

Where I live in LA, there is a Supercenter right across the street from the original Walmart. It served as a command center during Hurricane Gustav. They did a lot in the community here as far as housing folks who had no electricity and providing ice and tarps to prevent water damage.

Dec 5, 2008 at 07:12 AM : I don't shop at...

I don't shop at Green Frog only because it's inconvenient. I do use Copes for meats and when I lived in the area I shopped at Wood Dale.

I also used Longs for almost all canned food as they always had veggies on sale. I use Winco and Vons only when necessary. Walmart also carries a good amount of groceries so I pick up a few items when I have to go for prescriptions or dog food. Like most people I shop where I get the most for my dollar and where it's convenient. Doesn't do a lot of good to drive a long way for just a few items if I'm using my savings for gas.

Dec 5, 2008 at 08:12 AM : good point...

good point francais and nancy,

Shop local - the wave of the future, or not.

Shopping local keeps more of the money local . It's also good for the neighbors; and, what's good for the neighbors is usually good for you.

True, items tend to be more expensive though I bet the service is usually better.

--virgil

Dec 5, 2008 at 08:12 AM : My grandmother used to...

My grandmother used to shop at this little run down "market" for her meats called Tecate Market. It looked more like a liquor store and it was in the hood but I never complained about the good meals on the table. It takes more of an effort to shop local but it can be done.

When I lived in Indiana, I did just about all my shopping at Walmart as there was no "local" grocery store for about 20-30 miles. Honestly, if there was one, I probably still would have shopped at Wally world because of the low prices on the same items being sold in the stores.

Dec 5, 2008 at 09:12 AM : Shopping at the Green...

Shopping at the Green Frog on Bernard could (no, would) be hazardous to my pocketbook as they have a Smiths Bakery outlet there. No self control here when it comes to Smiths under my nose.

Dec 5, 2008 at 10:12 AM : While I do shop at...

While I do shop at Cosco and Albertsons, I also purchase all my fresh produce at the Saturday farmer's market.

Dec 5, 2008 at 11:12 AM : If there were a Green...

If there were a Green Frog close by, I would probably shop there more often. But instead I stick to the places close to where I work or along the route to Petco (since I go there often enough for the cats). So that means primarily Vons and Albertsons (near work) with stops at Trader Joes and Winco during the Petco runs. Trader Joes is where I go for produce when all the others have junk, which is particularly true of zucchini. I've got to plant zucchini next year because it is nearly impossible to find ones up to my standards. Even Trader Joes before Thanksgiving was getting down to the icky end of the harvest. Green Frog has decent produce, but I'm not driving 15 miles for 4lbs of zucchini and other misc. produce.

Dec 5, 2008 at 11:12 AM : We use to purchase all...

We use to purchase all of our meat at Wood Dale Mkt, then they sold out. We talked with the new owner about keeping the same quality of meat. He said they would continue to buy from Harris Ranch, and yes we would be getting the same meat. When we went two weeks later to stock up again, we were highly dissapointed. That was in fact not the same meat. The steaks were tuff as I'd imagine shoe leather to be. The chicken ended up returned as it had a stinch to it. It was our last purchase at Wood Dale. We like shopping at Youngs for quick purchases in between big shopping. We shopped at Costco for years, but now they are so crowded during the hours we shop you can't hardly get around. We are now giving Sams Club a try. So far, so good. I watch real close for expiration dates. I was a merchandiser for about a month. Due to the fact I worked for an outfit that would reshelf outdated products that I had taken down when I was at whatever store it was last, made me really aware that companies do this hoping you won't notice, or bring the product back. To my knowledge those folks weren't in business longer than a year.

Dec 5, 2008 at 01:12 PM : You know the economy...

You know the economy sucks when...the MOR commercials stop because that awful store went out of business!

Dec 5, 2008 at 03:12 PM : Wow--good call...

Wow--good call ghostriter. I didn't notice that my ears were no longer being assaulted! Haha!

Dec 5, 2008 at 03:12 PM : Food Max. Take it to...

Food Max. Take it to the Max.

Dec 5, 2008 at 07:12 PM : Sorry, cat...only...

Sorry, cat...only wishful thinking on my part! The economy would really have to be in the sewer for sheisters like Mor to go under. It seems that only the nasty, dishonest businesses survive in these situations.

Walmart does the best job of all the big chains of keeping their prices low.

There's a reason for that. China. Most of their stuff comes from there, and it is China's economy that WalMart is helping the most. Check the labels; it's the main reason why I refuse to shop there for any reason. I try not to buy anything made in China.

Dec 6, 2008 at 03:12 AM : A majority of the...

A majority of the products Americans buy come from somewhere esle. We are in age of Globalism, folks. Walmart is perpetuating something that is done by every retailer. Even if a product says "Made in the USA", we get a lot fof our raw materials and textiles from outside the US. We don't mine our on silver and steel anymore. We don't make a lot of the little cheap parts that go into our components because it's cheaper to have it done elsewhere. If it's not food, it's impossible to be a consumer and not buy a poduct that has not been touched by foreign production.