Muscatine

I simply don't understand this "Wal-Mart sucks but I shop there anyway" way of thinking.  I stopped shopping there years ago and have done just fine, and have found prices at Menards, Farm and Fleet, Walgreens, Hy-Vee and other local stores to be very competitive.....certainly not so high as to convince me to throw money at Wal-Mart.  Downtown is once a month for us, and we enjoy those trips as well. 

You get what you pay for, and if standing in a line with muzak blaring, children screaming, and 25 out of 27 checkout lines closed is for you, then I guess you'll do anything to save a couple of pennies.  To me, it's just not worth it. 

I do respect that thinking but I cant stand to run from here to there to get what I want. I do shop at Blains, Menards and others but are they REALLY that different than Wally World. They too are big box stores that are very much like that evil place. They arent as big but if you take a look you will see most of their stuff is the same as what you get at the evil place. Whats the difference?

I think the topic is shopping locally. Shopping at these places is not supporting a mom and pop place.

nvizible,

It would appear you missed the big news just this past Chrismas....fair wage, huh?

By STEVEN GREENHOUSE and STEPHANIE ROSENBLOOM Published: December 23, 2008 NYTimes Online

Wal-Mart said on Tuesday that it would pay at least $352 million, and possibly far more, to settle lawsuits across the country claiming that it forced employees to work off the clock. Several lawyers described it as the largest settlement ever for lawsuits over wage violations.

After years of being embarrassed by lawsuits over its wage practices, the company agreed to settle 63 cases pending in federal and state courts in 42 states.

The workers and their lawyers will receive at least $352 million, and the payments could reach $640 million, depending on how many claims affected workers submit.

Union critics of Wal-Mart, the world's largest retailer, saw the settlement as proof of their view that the company achieves its low prices in part by cheating workers.

I'm sure chokey will step in and tell us its a mistake, afterall walmart wouldnt make a mistake like that......making people work for free....wouldnt that be considered slavery?