WalMart

You know it is a sad stament on things when sewing things are a victim of an economic downturn. They had ought to be one of the things that a place would expand on.

NightMist

I've driven across the US a few times, and I quickly learned to recognize the signs of a WalMart presence. It is quite striking: small hair salons, clothes shops, opticians,etc. -- all shuttered. Downtown shopping areas that are stone cold dead except for a couple of lawyers' offices. Litter in the gutters.

After seeing that over and over and over again, and after talking to former WalMart employees, I would never do business with Wal-Mart. I drive miles out of my way to avoid it. I keep a list of things I need to get at a small needlework shop about 40 miles away, and stop at the shop on my way to Gulf Shores to enjoy the beach and other specialty shops in the area.

I do business with Hobby Lobby, but I can't stomach that much longer either. They do seem to be a better employer and a better member of the community than WalMart, but they obviously have an impact on smaller local business. I need to explore an LQS that is in the vicinity of my favorite needlework shop -- again, 40 miles away.

ep

When the store that sells the sewing things sells the finished goods made in China for less than the fabric costs? IIRC, Lands End was one of the last (if not THE last) companies that sold Jeans made in the USA, and they finally had to cave as well. We hung on til the bitter end.

I don't disagree; like everyone, I have to pick my battles, and too many of my own to deal with.

Doc

Howdy!

I will never agree to that.

R/S

Howdy!

SOME of us said for 8 yrs (starting in 2001): there will be a reckoning. .. and here it is.

I shop the quilt shops, near home, on the road, online, because they are Quilt shops. Usually stocked w/ top quality fabric and tended by quilt-type people. I never have believed the wallyworld family gave a damn about who was buying their cut-price products. But I've seen my local quilt shop owners step up to help the locals when needed... or before.

Good luck on the job hunt, Piggy; wish you were here.

R/Sandy

Yeah, I went to WM the other day and they were out of Miracle Whip, except for the huge jars. WTF? Really? Miracle Whip?

Blech

Cindy

You didn't live in Raton, NM in the mid 80's, I betcha.

Cindy> hate, Hate, HATE WalMart

I've noticed they are carrying far less name brand items in the grocery section- it's nearly all their house brand name and the labels are changed from ugly yellow to stark white. We still have our much downsized fabric dept. I haven't asked if they are shutting it down or when.

Leslie & The Furbabies in MO.

I had heard a few years ago that Walmart was closing their fabric departments. One of the Walmart's in my area only carries fat quarters now. They had a big sale on all their fabric. The one closest to me is still getting new fabric. They are even taking special orders. I asked the lady if they were going to discontinue their fabric department, and she said not now. She said 2 years ago, they told her they were going to phase out all the fabrics, and would be cutting back on the fabric she received. She said that lasted about 9 months. They have told her the department is doing so well with all their fabric sales and orders that they have no plans right now to phase it out. Sherry Starr

I heard a couple of weeks ago about a worker at a Walmart who got written up for wearing a pink ribbon pin for BC awareness. They aren't particularly nice folks. They aren't different from Target and Costco IMO though. You gotta stand in line behind all the folks that are mad at Best Buy. None of these guys care about us. I remember Dave Anderson that ran the hardware store on Main Street when I was a kid. Mr. Gibbs ran the little grocery. It was a small town and folks cared. Anyone remember old Fedco stores? Not to be confused with Fedmart. Fedco were tops in retail. They are gone too. : (

Taria

Sadly, the big corporations have discovered China -- first as workers, now as consumers. With billions of Chinese willing to work for almost nothing, live in abject conditions and then spend everything they make on crappy Western style clothes, the corporate Overlords no longer need us. When they stop needing our purchases, they stop needing our labor. That is what this economic purge is about. The people who really and truly run everything don't need us. If we insist on being paid a living wage, safe working conditions, sick days, paid vacation, health care and respect, then we can just go eat dirt. They really don't need us anymore and I am having many fearful and angry sleepless nights over this. Where is our future?

I'm sorry, maybe this is inappropriate, but it's bigger than WalMart driving out the little guys and our LQS's closing down. Ouch, my stomach hurts.

Sunny wishing I hadn't been a newspaper reporter all those years and read all that information about markets and corporations and ...... ouch, my stomach hurts some more

And we're seeing our grandson who graduated 4.0 back in June. He is working baking cookies at the bakery in the very early morning and stocking shelves at the DIY store in the evenings. All for 'change'. Polly

"Sunny" Sadly, the big corporations have discovered China -- first as workers,

My son worked the bakery in WM too right after graduation. He hated it, IMO they weren't paid well nor treated well. He gained 30 pounds on top of that. It's so hard for young'uns nowadays, bad economy, so much competition plus us baby boomers who won't retire and get out of their way. :-) (tongue in cheek). Still isn't working in his field of education. But finally landed a better job. He delivers for FedEx. At least I get to see him everytime I order batting. He hates it when people order batting -- it won't stack in the truck. :-)

I agree, agree, agree with SandyE and Cindy! WM sux. Bad juju. Even worse fabric quality. I don't think I've been in one in the last 5 years, and that was only b/c my mom wanted to go.

amy in CNY (loves her 3 LQS"s)

Calico Gals?

yes, and Tiger Lily, Cottons,etc, and Heartworks. amy in CNY

Taria,

As a former Target employee I have to agree that they have become just about as bad as Walmart but I believe that Costco has an entirely different outlook on their business ethics, meaning that they actually have ethics. Costco provides their employees a decent wage and benefits while still selling at a low cost.

I used to shop at Fedco years ago, wasn't it one of the very first membership stores? I think they were strictly a Southern California chain, they were sold to Target after they filed for bankruptcy.

Judie

That makes 4. 8^P

Doc