Well my sources were wrong before the Wal-mart at Echelon isn't done deal. In fact some people in Voorhees hope it never comes true. There are still some legal pitfals to leap over apperently. THe people of Voorhees are afraid that it will bring in too much traffic. They fear "there will be too many trucks" if Wal-mart is build there. One wonders how many more there would be then when there were 4 anchor stores and the mall was totally filled. But these are the same people that gripe that the stores are all leaving the mall.
OKay, I can understand that people would upset and lets say Deptford where there simply isn't any room to place a Wal-Mart. However, this mall won't make it with out thinking outside the box, which would sky rocket the propert taxes in the town. The Echelon Mall is roughly 20 percent of the tax money of the town, and its exit would really hurt the town.
The idea the PREIT has at this point is to tear down the empty J C Penny's building, and put the Wal-Mart there. They would have a new enterance to the mall near where Suncoast is and possibly insert a reteruant of some sort there. In addition the existing remaning part of the mall would be overhauled and updated.
On top of people that fear "the trucks" being pissed off the grocery unions are getting in the mix. The planned Wal-mart could be (seriously) just as big as the actual mall. So, based on that fact you would imagine that it could be a Super Wal-Mart. This would include a grocery section. Which would have non-union worker, and potentially put union workers out of work if say it knocks out the Acme in the same town. So, sometime this week (don't know when or where) there were supposed to be more meeting about it.
Now most people think that when Wal-mart comes to town it results in everyone losing their jobs and having to work for Wal-mart. That every store in 10 miles will be boarded up. Well, I am starting to think that it only happens in really small towns like in Mystery, Alaska. I mean there has been a Wal-Mart near Liza for years, and the entire shopping center is alive and feeding off the Wal-Mart. The Target and Kohls down the road are still alive. Also the area doesn't look like a bomb dropped or anything.
Now Wal-mart IS being stupid in South Jersey because if they get their way they will have dozens all over the place. One wonders if they would only be competing with themselves. However, cases like this I th ink the area will only benefit. It can't get worse. Empty IHOP, Empty Hair SALON, almost entirely empty mall.
Rick and I estimated recently that a third of the stores are empty in the entire Mall. Counting the small ones there is 57. Oh yeah, and that doesn't count The Wet Seal, Contempto, or Cinnabun that are all offically gone as of earlier this week.
Its your fault Bush voters.
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I think that the people of Voorhees that are complaining about the "truck traffic" are really upset that Wal Mart might bring in what they think of as 'lower class citizens'. In my experience the people who live in Voorhees think they are better than others b/c they live in Voorhees, sort of like Haddonfield. Now that doesn't go for every resident of the town obviously.
Another problem is that Wal Mart just put up a Super Center in Cherry Hill, and is scheduled to put as many as for more stores in the South Jersey area, or so I read in the Inquirer yesterday. I know from experience that Wal Mart has in the past become pretty dumpy, but recently they have been revamping there stores.
As for the non-union grocery store, it will be just like the issue with Genaurdi's. The unions will picket outside and the customers will ignore them until they eventually go away. I don't think it will have much effect on Acme, if it does I don't think it will have much to do with the fact that they are non-union, it will be b/c of convenience in reference to where they live (does that make sense?).
At this point I don't think PREIT has much of a choice but to push this through as fast as possible. Echelon used to advertise the size and quantity of the stores in the mall, now they SUCK and need to do something soon.
I was working at Acme in Voorhees when non-union Super G opened up. It made a difference, believe me. Many studies from around the country show that when WalMart moves into an area, wages go down. Some employees will probably be laid off from Acme, then get hired by WalMart for lower wages and no benefits. I would rather see Echelon Mall burn to the ground then to see a WalMart standing there.
As we all know I hate unions for legitimate reasons so I wouldn't mind if Wal Mart came in. Before I was a little iffy(?) on the thought of Wal Mart being a part of the mall but now I am all for it. I don't like shopping at Wal Mart b/c I am a Target person...it is my favorite store in the whole wide world, but I really don't have anything against Wal Mart.
Oh I don't doubt that those studies are true. However there was once a Shoprite in Somerdale so it wouldn't be the first time we had this many places to buy grocery stores. Not to mention Target actually sells everything but the butcher and bakery stuff.
Certainly the Wal-mart can't make matters worse in the Echelon area. Yeah Liza's parents work at ACME, and the Wal-mart down there will be a SUPER WAL MART soon. So you have to wonder how that will affect them. However, I think ACME will be okay. Some people are just not going to buy their food at Wal-mart.
People bitch, but its up to the people. If people don't buy food at the Wal-mart they will have to rethink their plan.
From what I heard of the porposed overhaul I am all for the Wal-mart. If any place will close it will be Gernadis or Stratford Mart (soon to be IGA for like the 3rd time). Neither of them are union as far as I know.
People off Voorhees TEAR DOWN THE PENNYS WALLS! As for the Trucks.. BRING 'EM ON!
Wal-mart will stay around for awhile. Because the people shop there for the same reason Wal-Mart cuts corners. To save money. Most people (not Drew or Duke if they never shop there) say they are against it, but go out of their way to save a buck.
Sam's club is owned by the same company, yet usually dodges the bullet of being painted evil.
So, I really don't know Duke if that stuff is illegal. I am sure you studied business more than me, and Id like for Drew or one of his lawschool croonies to chime in.
I am certainly mixed on this. I mean at the same time it really helps low income familes get clothes for their kids and cheap food. So, someone raising tons of kids on small budget can make their money go farther. But then again I really don't like what I hear about how they get to those prices. I worked in retail for 5 years, and at least I had benefits. They don't really give raises there (at least not ones that are laughable). Although, if you asked almost anyone in retail they would tell you how evil their company is and how miserable they are.
However, at this point I just want the mall to be saved. If this is the only way to save it then so be it.
WalMart is also facing a massive class action lawsuit for sex discrimination in wages. They are the worst kind of labor exploiters. They don't just oppose unions, but they go to extraordinary lengths to prevent them from forming, lengths which once were, should be, and may even still be illegal (but the federal government doesn't enforce labor laws very much anymore). Even people who hate unions should agree that workers have a right to unionize if they want to. WalMart doesn't think so.
Echelon Mall is grasping at straws and they are desperate. Their management is weak and so are the ideas and the people running that mall. All south jersey malls need a face life and new ideas on how to run them. Echelon had a chance a few years ago and they blew it. They are a bunch of hicks and that is why walmart has found it's home.
That mall is dead just like the people in it.
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