[geeks] Wal-Mart

[Jonathan Katz]

On 12/3/07, Brian Dunbar <brian.dunbar at liftport.com> wrote:
> I moved to Wisconsin and .. I don't see anything that you guys are
> talking about.  No screaming kids, the clerks are friendly the stores
> are clean, the self-checkout lanes work.

"It depends."

Here in Indianapolis the Wal-Mart closest to chez-Katz is a veritable
freak-show complete with baby formula kept under lock-and-key because
it gets stolen all the time! Other attractions include a female midget
with a mustache as a cashier, screaming children, parents screaming
and usually hitting their children, prices on various items maxxed out
to the WIC and food stamp maximums for the area, and other craziness.
I've seen employees yell at customers and run away when people are
looking for help. I haven't set foot in there in over a year because
of seeing this stuff for the past 2 years. The story is dirty, poorly
lit, but one thing is that it is always packed. It makes so much money
that corporate doesn't have to invest in it (my assumption.)

The Meijer directly across the street from the Wal-Mart (a comparable
regional chain) is clean with well-lit aisles, reasonable prices
(sometimes more, sometimes less) a similar selection, but it is like a
different world. Compared with the inside of the stereotypical trailer
park next-door it's a true bastion of civilization.

If I were to head to a Wal-Mart close to my office (my new or my old
offices, for that matter) they're much like the Meijer; they're clean,
well-lit, and don't keep items like baby formula under lock-n-key, and
the people are around to help.