Op-Ed: Why We Need Wal-Mart in New York
In this season of spring, one of the largest blessings I would like to be able to count on is the long-awaited arrival of a Walmart store in Brooklyn.
The global discount retailer is in talks with the city and the community of East New York to locate its first outlet in the five boroughs there.
However, some critics have contended that Walmart is not welcome here, holding rallies to that effect. As a community leader in Brooklyn, I believe that the effort to keep Walmart out of New York is deeply unproductive, and I hope for the benefit of my neighbors and friends that it does not succeed.
In these challenging economic times, New Yorkers want the opportunity to put food on their tables, clothes on their children’s backs and to provide the basics that all of us need. It’s clear that Walmart can be an additional economic tool by providing thousands of jobs both in construction and through retail positions in the stores it seeks to open. With unemployment for African-Americans, especially males, soaring, this is not a factor we can afford to ignore.
It is also my belief that Walmart represents opportunities for millions of dollars in contracting for local minority and women-owned business enterprises, not to mention millions in additional tax revenue flowing into the coffers of New York. Target stores, which are in many ways similar to Walmart, have been a boon to Brooklynites.
However, mention Walmart, and be prepared to be met with protestations about its coming to New York.
But the forces opposing Walmart’s presence in the city have no ideas of their own about how to reverse our dire economic situation: All they do is talk about Walmart’s supposed evils, simply failing to see the good it can bring to a community like mine.
I am not at all saying that Walmart is a savior, but it is unequivocally a step in the direction of recovery – a step we cannot fail to take. To keep a business that promises jobs, low prices and contracting opportunities out of an economically depressed area simply makes no sense – not now, or ever.
Walmart is in a position to give us a boost at a time when jobs are scarce and prices seem to keep rising and rising. Our families and our communities need someone – anyone, at this point – to make a difference. I believe that Walmart can make that difference at this time.
Certainly, the jobs it has the capacity to create will be crucial in these tough times: Consider the construction worker who has been out of work for months or the young person on his first employment opportunity, which gives him the pride to pull up his pants, get to his job on time, work hard and, in so doing, receive a reward while developing a strong work ethic.
The enemies of Walmart, who have gathered an impressive array of arguments on their behalf, seem to forget the simple reality of how such ordinary people would be helped by its presence.
And don’t forget about cheaper prescription drugs for our seniors and fresh produce for our families. These are two more benefits; I am sure there will be others, too.
I intend to hold Walmart to its promises – though I am confident that if it does come to Brooklyn, it will work hard on its own to fullfil them.
don-t need wal-mart
yea, so wal-mart could get a fat tax exempt on our cheshbin. please! not to mention the large amount of frum small businesses that wal mart would destroy.
to #1
It may ‘destroy’ the small businesses in our area, but those small businesses are putting a big huge HOLE in frum families pockets! Ever consider that?
to #2
ever consider this is a frum community and we support each other and our way of life. wal mart is just a big bully PR machine that kills small businesses. what are you going to do when raskins veg, fish, and numerous other staples disappear? and if its putting a hole in your pocket its your issue, you dont have to shop anywhere you dont want too….
Competion is good!
A little competition for Mr. ben-abu doesn’t hurt!
Hes the one destroying small businesses in this neighborhood!
crown
walmart will not replace the yiddish stores in the beging maybe but every honeymoon must end and theirs no place like home even though the prices are somtimes higher blood is thicker then water you think that walmart will give you a bargain or write down if you owe ten or less to the store the’ll say get loss or how about the stuff that goes on sale for yom tov you know the paper products we need in bulk at the great price .
who cares?
one sec ? whats the diff between walmart and target?? their are 5 targets around us and they started having fruits and vegetable too ???so whats the difference if walmart comes ??? cmon love warmart love target …the more the better!
Support Small Biz!
NO to Wal-Mart. A simple google search will tell you why.
If you’re paying too much, then you haven’t looked around enough. Send letters to the store owners and their landlords with price comparisons from other places.
My medication costs me over $200 at both Wal-Mart and Target. Rubin Chemists at Nostrand Ave. and Eastern Parkway sells it for $20!
I get cheap groceries just around the corner from Key Foods or from the small stores. Tuesday is the produce delivery day.
* In 2001, Wal-Mart Sales Clerks earned on average $13,861 per year.
* In 2001, the federal poverty line for a family of three was $14,630.
* A 200 employee Wal-Mart store costs taxpayers an average of $420,750 per year.
http://seekingalpha.com/art…
Why bother?
Anyway you know what will happen in our neighborhood.
In no time at all Wal Mart will be a disgusting place to go, frequented by every low life looking for cheap junk. just like Marshalls and all the other Atlantic Center stores became. You can’t do anything about it. This is Brooklyn.
I was at a Wal Mart in Westchester. Gorgeous. I’ve been to Marshalls, Target, Burlington Coat factory in New England cities. They are all clean and pleasant and are well stocked. But somehow, bring a store to Brooklyn and the local riff raff manage to trash it. I am not holding my breath that this will be any different.
store for walls
What do we need walls for? we already have plenty of walls here.
store for walls
What do we need walls for? we already have plenty of walls here.
not such a fan of walmart anymore.
I live around the corner from a superwalmart. i used to be very supportive of them. however, they’ve been raising prices like crazy recently and have a very poor selection of fruits and veggies. i’ve noticed that publix has a much better selection and very often at the same price and sometimes even cheaper. at publix things are neat and organized. in addition, publix has all wic items labeled. walmart has only started to label some wic items and they are usually incorrect anyway.
RJ123
If you don’t like Wal-Mart, if you don’t like the prices, what they do, how much they pay, the vacation time, the fact that they don’t give in to union bullies………….. DON’T SHOP THERE! no one is forcing you to shop in a place you don’t want to.
Not a Native Newyorker
#8 is right. Everything in Brooklyn gets trashed and disgusting. I’d move out of this berg if I could…
Why Not WalMart
When I lived in Brooklyn a few years ago, Target, DSW, Daffy’s and Burlington Coat Factory were well-kept and well-managed as was Circuit City which is now gone. Pathmark was no better and no worse than a heavily trafficked suburban supermarket. Only Marshall’s was a mess, probably because of mismanagement.
Most of those who work at Wal-Mart would otherwise be on Wel-Fare (ditto for the Target crews). At least with some sort of a job they have a chance.
This medication story is why we have competition. WalMart and Target RX have low prices on common meds and make up for it with higher prices on other meds. Rubin Chemists, unless it’s become one of those Medicaid scam pharmacies that gives honest customers a good deal to cook the books, will always be there because of service and convenience. If Target and Dreck Reade and CVS and Rite-Aid didn’t force them out, WalMart won’t either.
Nobody
To #3, so if I don’t want to shop somewhere (Raskin’s), I don’t have to, but if I do want to shop somewhere (Walmart), I’m not allowed to?