Walmart and big box stores

[LoreD]

I've been supporting the boycotts, so I had to get a little creative. I tracked down one food store that was franchised but locally owned. Less selection meant less temptation, which really helped with my food bill. I discovered the Mennonite run surplus stores, with close dated food. One small one is 30 minutes away, and a huge one, that is about the size of a Costco, is about an hour away.

My daughter and I are making once a month grocery runs, and fill up the back of an SUV for about $100. I'm loving those $.75 organic Triscuits, and $.89 chips.

When I had to cut off all the Big Box stores, and I found out how much cheaper my food bill is without them. I won't go back.

 

[NJBob]

Like most of you, if you have reached my ripe old age, remember shopping locally, and even bargain shops were small or medium size.

Then Walmart came along, Target, Costco, and others.

Now small businesses stand empty while everyone bangs shopping carts on bumpers, stand in long lines, and end up with inferior products by going to the big box stores?

Of course we know about Trump's latest feud with Walmart, but that aside, do YOU spend your hard earned money at the big box stores, or are you ok with spending an extra dime, getting better quality and keeping smaller shops alive?

I used to love going to Woolworths. Kind of a mini Walmart, for those that missed it. Their lunch counter banana splits were great.

 

[Demon]

I used to love going to Woolworths. Kind of a mini Walmart, for those that missed it. Their lunch counter banana splits were great.

And their grilled cheese (Walgreens also used to have lunches). And pizza by the slice. It might not have been the best pizza.

 

[NJBob]

And their grilled cheese (Walgreens also used to have lunches). And pizza by the slice. It might not have been the best pizza.

Do you remember popping the balloons to get a possible discount?

I really liked that store. I miss it.

 

[JohnfrmClevelan]

Do you remember popping the balloons to get a possible discount?

I really liked that store. I miss it.

I remember Woolworth's paper straws that got mushy in minutes. Strange what our memories hang onto.

 

[Demon]

Do you remember popping the balloons to get a possible discount?

I really liked that store. I miss it.

I don't remember that. I remember their candy counters though.

 

[JohnfrmClevelan]

Before they closed Ft. McPherson and Ft. Gillem, the family and I did most of our shopping at the PX and commissary. Now, most of my shopping is on-line usually with Sams or Amazon and sometimes on Ebay depending on what I want. I do hit Home Depot and we now get our groceries at Krogers. I haven’t been to Walmart in years, I got tired of standing in line to checkout. They’d have 30 registers but open only a couple.

You'll be checking yourself out next time you go. My Walmart is down to one cashier-manned lane, the rest is self checkout.

 

[Perotista]

You'll be checking yourself out next time you go. My Walmart is down to one cashier-manned lane, the rest is self checkout.

The Krogers I go to has 6 self-check outs along with 8 cashiers, normal check outs. Usually those with just a handful of groceries use the self-check outs. I can’t imagine having a shopping cart full trying to self-check out.

 

[NJBob]

I don't remember that. I remember their candy counters though.

The Woolworths I went to in Brooklyn had balloons hanging from a string. If you ordered a banana split you could pick a balloon to reveal the price. It would range from the full price of .79 cents down. I remember getting one for something like .25 cents.

That was a while ago…

 

[JohnfrmClevelan]

The Krogers I go to has 6 self-check outs along with 8 cashiers, normal check outs. Usually those with just a handful of groceries use the self-check outs. I can’t imagine having a shopping cart full trying to self-check out.

I've come to like it. Bread doesn't get squished, etc.

Or you can skip all of that at some stores and just scan stuff using your phone. My Sam's Club has that; you show your phone to someone at the exit. They also have these electronic arbors with cameras that check out your cart vs. your receipt somehow, in lieu of getting checked by a person at the exit. All of it feels a bit uncomfortable, but I'm adapting. Nothing worse (to me) than setting off a buzzer as you leave a store.

 

[Demon]

The Woolworths I went to in Brooklyn had balloons hanging from a string. If you ordered a banana split you could pick a balloon to reveal the price. It would range from the full price of .79 cents down. I remember getting one for something like .25 cents.

That was a while ago…

Oh yeah, it was a while ago. I don't think I ever had a banana split there, which is probably why I don't remember the balloons. But a friend and I would walk to the Woolworths in a mall nearby for lunch sometimes. I'd have a grilled cheese, and she'd have a patty melt. I loved that you could get cheese popcorn (and buttered) at their candy counter, too. And fruit slices.

 

[Perotista]

I've come to like it. Bread doesn't get squished, etc.

Or you can skip all of that at some stores and just scan stuff using your phone. My Sam's Club has that; you show your phone to someone at the exit. They also have these electronic arbors with cameras that check out your cart vs. your receipt somehow, in lieu of getting checked by a person at the exit. All of it feels a bit uncomfortable, but I'm adapting. Nothing worse (to me) than setting off a buzzer as you leave a store.

My youngest daughter does her grocery shopping online and then gets it delivered. I don’t go that far, I don’t mind a trip to Krogers especially if I want to get perishables or meats. With Sam’s, since I’m a Sam’s plus I order my stuff from them online and they ship it to me. It takes 2-3 days before I get my stuff, but the shipping is free.

 

[weaver2]

Like most of you, if you have reached my ripe old age, remember shopping locally, and even bargain shops were small or medium size.

Then Walmart came along, Target, Costco, and others.

Now small businesses stand empty while everyone bangs shopping carts on bumpers, stand in long lines, and end up with inferior products by going to the big box stores?

Of course we know about Trump's latest feud with Walmart, but that aside, do YOU spend your hard earned money at the big box stores, or are you ok with spending an extra dime, getting better quality and keeping smaller shops alive?

I grew up in a small town in the Finger Lakes region of NY. The store keeper stood behind a counter and brought you the items you wanted put them on the counter wrapped them in paper tied them with string on a spool, you paid cash or had a credit with the store and they billed you at the end of the month. For groceries you went to the grocery store, for meat you went to the butcher shop, for thread you went to the notions store, for ..... you get the idea. The hardware store was owned by a horrible man and wife. They used to argue in the store. They acted as if your trade was an annoyance. The grocery and the butcher shop took forever and ever. The pharmacy was also the local soda shop. They still sold phosphates at the fountain. Prescriptions took forever. Many were still individually compounded by the pharmacist at the store. If you were lucky the doc had prescribed pre-made pills that shortened the wait. And because you got individual service at every store everybody in town knew what you ate, right down to what was for dinner that night. They knew your medical issues. They knew what was broken and needed fixing at your house, what you were currently sewing on, etc.

What do I think of big box stores .............. I love them. I love being able to dither over a selection. I love having a selection. I love one stop shopping. I like dealing with only one employee, the check out person. I like plastic bags with hand-holds. I like the pharmacy with my prescription already to pick up. There is no lost nostalgia over the days of single shops.

 

[Old 'N Chill]

Like most of you, if you have reached my ripe old age, remember shopping locally, and even bargain shops were small or medium size.

Then Walmart came along, Target, Costco, and others.

Now small businesses stand empty while everyone bangs shopping carts on bumpers, stand in long lines, and end up with inferior products by going to the big box stores?

Of course we know about Trump's latest feud with Walmart, but that aside, do YOU spend your hard earned money at the big box stores, or are you ok with spending an extra dime, getting better quality and keeping smaller shops alive?

I always shopped in stores like Walmart, Costco, Sam's Club, Home Depot, Lowes, etc. The only small mom and pop store I frequented was for all my dog and cat food and all related supplies. Now all my shopping is done online and delivered to my house, that pet store does not deliver, so I use Amazon or Chewy for pet needs.