Another Daily News article brings up the rumored Walmart arrival on 125th Street and on how it might be detrimental to the smaller local shops. The corner of Lenox and 125th Street is reviewed because it theoretically could be used for the big box retailer but Walmart officials have not confirmed a definite location at this point. Up to 25% of the surrounding business which include bodegas, green grocers and a supermarket could shutter if Walmart arrives based on a study from the Manhattan Borough President's office. Should Walmart be allowed to open up on 125th Street if they decided to do so? Read more in the Daily News:
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I don't know. I would really like to see that space utilized, but a Walmart? I feel like they can do better than that.
ReplyDeleteWell the Macy's was a no, followed by the Whole Foods (would have been great)but that also was a dream. Walmart? Heck why not. Same complaints were heard when Pathmark was coming to East 125th. I think this neighborhood has plenty of people (with more moving in each day) that can take advantage of all of these stores.
ReplyDeleteI have seen this play out before unfortunately in small towns across the country and Walmart literally does force small businesses to close. I am not sure if the community board can veto this, but I suspect this would be strongly opposed. There are already plenty of grocery stores of better quality with decent prices, and a Target in East Harlem that sells most of the other stuff Walmart would.
ReplyDeleteThey should do much better than that. But I'm sure Walmart has the bucks to pay for that space. I would prefer to see a store like Walmart more on the fringe of 125th Street, either east or west.
ReplyDeleteThey should do much better than that. But I'm sure Walmart has the bucks to pay for that space. I would prefer to see a store like Walmart more on the fringe of 125th Street, either east or west.
ReplyDeleteGG, just reading up a bit on Walmart business practices in the small towns. Sounds like they come in, reduce prices to such an extent that they actually lose money for a short while, then once the smaller local businesses can no longer compete and are forced to close, they start to increase their prices. No idea if this is just hearsay, but don't like the sound of it. Agree that Target is more than enough for the neighborhood.
ReplyDeleteIt's a problem throughout the city and country. Who else can afford to build/rent large spaces but multi-national corporations and chains like WalMart. I'd love to see more independent mom and pop businesses in Harlem and all over the city, but they are a, sadly, a dying breed in our current economic system.
ReplyDeleteDear God, please don't let this happen. Makes me want to leave New York. New York is the only place where people can live without (largely) the trappings of middle America--and that applies to rich and poor alike. Cheap crap at Wal-Mart costs our country and our communities--it's short-sighted to think we're not paying for this in far worse ways as small businesses close, downward pressure on wages happens, etc.
ReplyDeleteAnd anyone saying this will create good jobs for locals is dreaming. That's a quote right out of Wal-Mart's own talking points.
The last interesting thing, which I admit has only a little to do with them moving to 125th and Lenox (but does have to do with selling boatloads of the cheapest offshore goods while simultaneously decimating communities) is that the six Wal-Mart heirs are wealthier than the bottom 30% of Americans COMBINED.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/money_co/2011/12/six-walmart-heirs-wealthier-than-bottom-30-percent.html
Two words...TOTAL NIGHTMARE!!
ReplyDeleteLooking at Walmart’s effect in other parts of the country, it would be devastating for retail on 125th street. Especially for the likes of Wild Olive which currently offer reasonably priced fresh produce. In fact in terms of large chains, Harlem is doing very well with Costco, Target, Marshalls, Best Buy etc, and at a healthy distance on far east 117th Street.
ReplyDeleteI think our politicians have to look at the bigger picture, like what makes NY a unique and attractive tourist destination, one obvious appeal is our mom and pop retail and lack of mall like spaces. Walmart would destroy that charm and devalue New York as a whole. In terms of the big picture, it is false economy.
ReplyDeleteI think our politicians have to look at the bigger picture, like what makes NY a unique and attractive tourist destination, one obvious appeal is our mom and pop retail and lack of mall like spaces. Walmart would be destroy that charm and devalue New York as a whole. In terms of the big picture, it is false economy.
ReplyDeleteKeep Walmart out. Not only would they harm local businesses, as described above, but they are not good employers and they also use their extensive purchasing power to bully their suppliers. This would be bad news indeed.
ReplyDeleteLook at the bright side: they will probably add an elevator to the 125th st 2/3 station.
ReplyDeleteAlso, it will bring people from other parts of the city uptown, which I think would be helpful.
Condos and a hotel would be great, but it seems there are no takers
there are plenty of reasons to come uptown besides Walmart! If that's why people would want to come to Harlem it would be pretty sad. Maybe the Walmart should go to the upper west side where Filene's Basement is moving out.
ReplyDeleteWalmart, unlike the hotel developers or the Whole Foods people actually have the money to do what they say they want to and build in the area.
ReplyDeleteThis still would be without overstating it, a disaster for Harlem.
Consider that the first thing a large retail concern like Walmart does after it gets established is cite "unexpected costs" and terminate half its work force. We saw this with the East River Plaza.
So in short it will drive out other smaller business in the area (many of whom are persons of color) and only add about half of the jobs they will puport to add.
Harlem does not need an influx of Walmart shoppers who will only stop at Walmart and then drive back to wherever they came from witthout exploring the rest of the neighborhood. That doesn't help the surrounding area either.
There is no upside to this at all.
Can we start a petition? Let me know; I'll be the first to sign.
ReplyDeleteAll the above comments are well and good. But has any of the above commenters tried to shop on 125th Street, from say Park Ave to 7th Ave? The "mom & pop" stores are already gone! The stores remaining are over priced with cheap stuff. I used to buy fruit from the store several doors down from where Con Edison used to be. It's gone, and it was owned by Asians! The so caled "Black" stores are the worst! I'm sorry. Walmart cannot close down stores that are no longer exists, and they will not hurt the Asian store owner, they survive in the shadow of Macy's!
ReplyDelete