i've always had mixed feelings about the super store vs. "mom & pop" debate. i live in a small town. the only 2 businesses that have closed as a direct result of competition from WM were the KMart and the WinnDixie. The KMart shot themselves in the foot by providing no customer service to speak of. At first, their prices were competitive and there were things i could get there and no place else. I just got sick of standing in line forever, never being able to find somebody to answer a question, and watching prices go up while quality went down. The BigKs surviving their bankruptcy reorganization are now just big junk shops. The Winn Dixie was always the most expensive grocery store in town. i can count on one hand the number of times i shopped there, anyway, in the 25 years they were here. the prices at the other 2 - big chains, by the way - have also always been too high. i hate to think what their prices would be now without WM to compete with.
Our local lumber yards are still thriving in the face of Lowe's. the only Mom & Pop shops to close over the years closed because Son & Daughter didn't want to keep the business when the parents retired. The WM superstore shopping center actually attracted several new businesses, while other new businesses filled up their old shopping center. overall, they've added to our economy without much damage. and they've made HUGE donations to several causes that support soldiers and their families.
the problem now is that WalMart isn't WalMart any more. Sam was hardly cold in his grave before the kids sold out to a bigger corporate conglomeration. I feel now like I'm back in KMart. they piss us off at their own peril. we made 'em. we can break 'em. :evil:
found out yesterday our fabric department is on the chopping block, too. i'll make the calls and send the emails. in the meantime, i'll also be looking for new sources. went to hancock's today. their sale prices at least offer some opportunity to get decent stuff at decent prices. all i got was discouraged. (lots and lots of not-what-i-was looking for. LOL) most of the fabrics thin and flimsy - even at $9 per yard. all good quality, i'm sure. and hand-quilting would be a breeze. i just like my fabrics to have more body during the piecing phase. guess i'll have to start investing in liquid starch for pretreating.
grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr