[Admiral Beez]

Wal-Mart was a small independent once, not unlike any of the Kensington retailers. Through success from customer sales and sound strategy, Wal-Mart grew... and now we hate them. The message is clear. You can be successful, but don't get too big, because then we'll hate you.

Anyway, so if Wal-Mart can't go to Kensington, where between the DVP, Bathurst and south of Bloor St. can they go? My suggestion... close down Moss Park Armoury, move the troops to Fork York Armoury and Denison Armoury. Build a Wal-Mart on the Moss Park Armory grounds. Put all the parking underground. There's a massive population in the area, many without cars who could use a Wal-Mart in this location. And it's far enough from any of the tourist markets to keep the NIMBYs at bay.

 

[the lemur]

You should know where this proposal is, it's on Bathurst at Nassau, which is three streets WEST of the heart of Kensington Market - no more than 700 feet. The Average person could walk from Augusta & Nassau to Bathurst & Nassau in 3 or 4 minutes. This retail giant will most definitely have an effect on the future of Kensington Market retailers, should it be built.

It's actually about 1300 feet (400 m). However, there's a lot of non-retail/residential in between, plus there's a lot you can buy in KM that I doubt W-M will ever stock: imported cheeses, bulk nuts/coffee/spices, fresh fish, army surplus gear, Latino groceries, dreadlock grooming supplies, vintage clothes ... not to mention the restaurants. People don't come to KM just to buy things they could get at any large retailer.

I think the proximity to KM is not really an issue, even if Wal-Mart ends up competing in some areas (produce, new clothes, small household items). Bathurst and Nassau is not the right place for a single large retailer and the traffic it attracts.

 

[the lemur]

You really think the way Wal-Mart treats its suppliers constitutes 'sound strategy'?

There's a few lots in the Port Lands that are at least as big as Moss Park and still west of the DVP that could accommodate a Wal-Mart and its parking.

 

[TheTigerMaster]

Wal-Mart was a small independent once, not unlike any of the Kensington retailers. Through success from customer sales and sound strategy, Wal-Mart grew... and now we hate them. The message is clear. You can be successful, but don't get too big, because then we'll hate you.

People hate Wal-Mart for various valid reasons. I'm not one of those people, but I can see where they're coming from.

Just because they were once nice and quaint dosen't make them closed to criticism.

 

[Admiral Beez]

You really think the way Wal-Mart treats its suppliers constitutes 'sound strategy'.?

Wal-Mart is one of my company's larger customers (as was Sam's Club USA at my previous job), and I'll tell you straight up, they are an excellent customer to deal with... provided you come prepared. For starters, almost any entrepreneur can get a meeting with a Wal-Mart buyer. Wal-Mart always pays on time. Yes, they'll hit you hard with off invoice deductions if you're late on delivery or don't meet commitments, and they'll demand discounts and promotional spending fees, but anyone selling to Wal-Mart knows this coming in, and includes these off invoice amounts in their PNL projections. Next, Wal-Mart has the scale to make you super rich, no one else can touch their ability to get your product in the hands of nearly all Americans and most Canadians. Wal-Mart will also make sure your product is sold at the right retail price (too many times I've had to fight with retailers to adjust to the MSRP).

So, Wal-Mart as a supplier....
- Will give any vendor big or small face time to flog their ideas
- Pays on time, taking only contractually agreed rebates, discounts and penalties
- Sets market correct retails (to ensure best sell through)
- Has massive customer base
- Makes their suppliers rich
- Is entirely transparent and honest with their suppliers up front (the message is always, we're Wal-Mart, we're going to demand the best possible price at all costs, but then we'll work together to sell tons of your stuff).

Unlike many other larger retailers...
- You can never find or reach the buyer, especially for smaller new entrants
- Never pay on time and take unapproved discounts with a "tough sh#t" approach when you complain
- Doesn't set market correct retails, so your product doesn't move
- Have isolated or niche customer bases, or just empty stores (been to a Sears Canada store recently?)

Yes, there are examples where suppliers were destroyed by selling to Wal-Mart, such as Vlasic Pickles, where they ruined their entire product value proposition by not planning their Wal-Mart pricing correctly http://www.fastcompany.com/47593/wal-mart-you-dont-know. However, these are the minority, IM experience.

 

[urbandreamer]

It's actually about 1300 feet (400 m). However, there's a lot of non-retail/residential in between, plus there's a lot you can buy in KM that I doubt W-M will ever stock: imported cheeses, bulk nuts/coffee/spices, fresh fish, army surplus gear, Latino groceries, dreadlock grooming supplies, vintage clothes ... not to mention the restaurants. People don't come to KM just to buy things they could get at any large retailer.

I think the proximity to KM is not really an issue, even if Wal-Mart ends up competing in some areas (produce, new clothes, small household items). Bathurst and Nassau is not the right place for a single large retailer and the traffic it attracts.

Just checked google maps and distance from 420 Bathurst to corner of Bellevue & Nassau (edge of Kensington Market proper) is 290m or a 3 minute walk. 400m to Augusta or a 4 minute walk.

What I could see happening is the increase in number of pedestrians along Nassau results in those crappy homes across from the hospital converting to retail use, thus extending the size of Kensington--a positive.

 

[gabe]

Wal-Mart was a small independent once, not unlike any of the Kensington retailers. Through success from customer sales and sound strategy, Wal-Mart grew... and now we hate them. The message is clear. You can be successful, but don't get too big, because then we'll hate you.

That's something Romney would say. Walmart is disliked for good reason. Many small towns in the states have been decimated by Walmart. the local "downtown" streets that supported the town's inhabitants are deserted.. Everywhere, you can find counties which may have had a dozen towns of 2000 to 10,000 or so people. Now, the only town with any size is the one with the Walmart in it...but those people aren't thriving. The people who ran the stores have been bought out...work at Walmart. or don't have a job. Many of Walmart’s 1.5 million workers earn close to minimum wage, placing them among the fast-growing cohort of American workers who earn so little that they officially live in poverty. (working poor)

Old Sam Walton prided himself on selling American made goods. His children, who took over the company in 1991 thought differently and sold out to China.

Costco, another company with lower prices than the average mall based stores, is a company with what I believe ARE good values. Their employees have benefits, and their beginning wage is more than many Walmart employees make after 10 years at Walmart. They do make money, too.

 

[spider]

That's something Romney would say. Walmart is disliked for good reason. Many small towns in the states have been decimated by Walmart. the local "downtown" streets that supported the town's inhabitants are deserted.. Everywhere, you can find counties which may have had a dozen towns of 2000 to 10,000 or so people. Now, the only town with any size is the one with the Walmart in it...but those people aren't thriving. The people who ran the stores have been bought out...work at Walmart. or don't have a job. Many of Walmart’s 1.5 million workers earn close to minimum wage, placing them among the fast-growing cohort of American workers who earn so little that they officially live in poverty. (working poor)

Where to start, you know that decimated means 1 in 10 not a slaughter of everyone involved.
The local downtown stores did not support the inhabitants of the town, it was the reverse. Maybe the local stores weren't doing as good a job as they could have and I am pretty sure that their staff were paid minimum wages for the same reason as Walmart, because it doesn't take a lot of smarts to put stuff on a shelf. If the poor downtrodden staff that you refer to had any thing at all going for them they wouldn't have been working at minimum wage for any employer.

100 years ago it was the T. Eaton Co. turning the retail trade on it's head in Canada and history treats them very kindly.

 

[RC8]

The wal-mart model is quite clever.

Using the cheapest labour possibly available (including child labour) is only one facet of it. What they do next is pay their store employees as little as they legally can, while offering no benefits... they know governments will provide welfare to these guys since their salaries are so low. Then they price items cheap - often cheaper than they can make a profit with - so that they can bankrupt local competition upon arrival to a new market. They use their massive cash reserves to sustain themselves in the mean time. Once that's been dealt with, they can raise prices a bit and remain competitive.

The best part is that, since they pay their employees so little, most of them will have to rely on Wal-Mart to meet their basic needs. In other words, a significant chunk of the salaries they pay out are returned to them in the short term!

Admirable, all in all, if you want to profit from human suffering.

 

[the lemur]

If we're going to insist on the literal meaning of decimate then it becomes a fairly useless word. It makes as much sense as requiring a period of quarantine to be exactly 40 days.

 

[picard102]

Many of Walmart’s 1.5 million workers earn close to minimum wage, placing them among the fast-growing cohort of American workers who earn so little that they officially live in poverty. (working poor)

If minimum wage isn't a "living wage" then why is it Walmart's responsibility to cut profits for it's shareholders by paying more? Shouldn't it be the states responsibility to set minimum wages higher if it's so untenable to work 40 hours a week at minimum wage to stay afloat?

 

[RC8]

Raising the minimum wage is hard when you've got the likes of Walmart lobbying against it.

 

[picard102]

Raising the minimum wage is hard when you've got the likes of Walmart lobbying against it.

Except they've lobbied to increase it, and pay more then the minimum wage in general?

 

[RC8]

... and Rob Ford wants to build subways but council won't let him.

 

[Glen]

RC8,

While I am no big fan of Walmart, one thing they never do is use loss leaders. Except, perhaps with milk and eggs. They are also more honest with labeling country of origin. Unlike most designer clothing.