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Residents Raise Concerns About Potential Brooklyn Walmart

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A public hearing was held about the transfer of city land in East New York, Brooklyn to the developer Related Companies. Many residents are worried that Related will use the land to build the city’s first Walmart at the Gateway Mall.

“Walmart forces businesses to shut down. They can’t compete with their low prices, and traffic is lost on neighborhood retail strips and small businesses close down,” said Daniel Coates of Small Business United.

“Walmart is like a predatory retailer,” said Brooklyn Councilman Charles Barron. “They don’t pay living wage jobs. They don’t allow unionizing. If you do unionizing, they shut you down. They don’t give pensions, they don’t give health care and they wind up having people work part-time.”

Steven Restivo, the Director of Community Affairs for Wal-Mart, said in a statement, “Given our longstanding relationships with customers, associates, suppliers, non-profits and other stakeholders across New York City, Walmart applauds any effort by the city to create jobs, spur economic development and improve access to healthy food.”

Wal-Mart also says a Quinnipiac poll shows the overwhelming majority of New Yorkers support its stores.

Company officials say roughly 80,000 New Yorkers signed a petition in favor of having a store in the city.

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13 Comments

  • New Yorker

    Walmart doesn’t create good paying jobs, while it destroys Mom and Pop small business.
    Unfortunately a number of residents of NYC are oblivious to this. They’re also oblivious to the fact that Walmart is no cheaper than other retailers, their low costs go into their pockets.

  • TJ

    if you think a large store with low prices and available parking is bad for you — then you need a lesson in supply side economics. Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations would be a good start.

    or you can choose to buy into the union propaganda machine and pay more for less… Your call

  • in favor of walmart

    the store means that people save money- teens get off the street and into jobs- if people want pensions etc retail is not the place period,

  • What

    Walmart is the best thing that can happen to Brooklyn. Look who is complaining. Despicable barron (low life and hater) his own words show he is a commy (“union”, “living wage”).Baron wants to make sure his constituents stay poor and rely on him for walfare benefits (which working people like us will need to pay for).
    Walmart will create jobs in Brooklyn and will help all people save some money which they can use for something better tan paying taxes.

  • mindy

    I shop at walmart in my neighboorhood and their prices save me up to 50% of my weekly grocery bills. Yes they ruin the mom and pop stores. but like anything there is good and bad to every situation… good for some bad for other.. same if a new store opened on Kingston.. it would affect other stores that carry similar items etc…

  • nos

    i support walmart when i need something that i cant find in stores in ch i found it at walmart for cheap as for buisinesses take care that there shouldnt be a need for walmart and than i’ll support the no-walmart campaign but in the meantime i’m for walmart

  • Mr. Gavno

    One thing I will never be asked in Walmart when I pull out my American Express “Do you have maybe a Visa?” Or “We don’t take vise (Unless of course, you have nothing else)”

  • Yes! WALMART

    I rase two my hends in favor of Wallmart.
    30 – 50 % savings ? Why not.