Interesting headlines in last weeks paper Lawsuit dropped; Wal-Mart moves ahead with new stores, and just below it City looks to revitalize downtown. My first reaction was, why bother?
Many consumers love Wal-Marts cheap prices but few appear to be concerned about the quality of merchandise touted as always being sold for the lowest price. A new Wal-Mart in Smokey Point does not bode well for downtown Arlington or for the stores in old Smokey Point and if anyone thinks it does, you have your head in the sand. If I had ten bucks for every vacant storefront in Marysville (and more to come when the second Wal-Mart opens near the Allen Creek Shopping Center), Id have a good-sized bank account.
My daughter bought her husband a Black & Decker drill from Wal-Mart. He used it a couple of times only to find out that the batteries were useless, the charging unit did not work, and both were unreplaceable. So much for saving any money. He finally went to a tool store and purchased a name brand that he knew he could trust and one with batteries that can be replaced. A while ago she purchased Jockey for Her underwear from Wal-Mart that she used to buy at the Bon at a higher price. The Bon undies wore out after several years of use. The Wal-Mart cheapo Jockey variety quickly fell apart in the wash within three months. This is just a small sampling of the outcome of her purchases at Wal-Mart. Did she save money in the long run? You decide.
I try to shop in town as much as I can and I do not shop at Wal-Mart ever. Best wishes for the survival of all the small town merchants in our community.
Michele Heiderer
Arlington