sigh...
Oh boy.. Here is running mommy jumping into the shark tank..
Once upon a time I worked for wal mart. Early 90's (very early), the economy was in the dumper, the first wal mart was opening in nor cal, and I needed a halfway decent paying retail job as I was in retail mgmt. Back then wal mart was the ticket. They paid pretty well, and offered me a job managing their cash office. I ended up also managing their billing office, as well as becoming a part of the district audit team. I was a happy wal mart associate. I had good benefits and enjoyed the company.
Of course Sam Walton was still alive. I remember a HUGE billboard touting the percentage of items in the store that were made in america. It was a large chunk of the store. One of the things Sam hung his hat on was how FEW things in the store were made in China, and how many american jobs were created by "buying american"....
And then Sam passed away.....
So much has changed since then, and I really don't fault people for their disdain of Wal Mart. I don't shop there much myself anymore.
Over the years I have always tried to give the little guy my business. My local ACE hardware get's all my home improvement biz. And I would pick and Independent bike shop over a chain any day. I also shop at the local IGA grocery store- they have the best meat and produce around.
I'm about to become an lbs owner myself, and I will be competing with the local wal mart and target. I have my advertising game plan in my head already.
You see when I worked for wal mart I watched the clueless teenagers assemble bikes. It was a scary thing, and I would never let anyone I know buy a bike from a box store- for safety reasons alone. I have seen too many disasters come through the return counter. Wal Mart has paid lots of folks medical bills over the years! Scary stuff when the handle bars fall off!