These are 'cradle to grave' stores or at least that is what I have heard them called. There is a Wallyworld about 1 1/2 miles from me I go to, but like shopping for AMC stuff, I would rather buy my AMC stuff from AMC vendor as opposed to chain like O'Reillys or Auto Zone knowing I will probably pay a little more, but support the little guy who has made the big investment to try to keep out cars on the road, as opposed to big chain that has 11 year old stamping out radiator hoses for 30 cents a week. Sometimes you can't get around it however, as only game in town.
Awhile back there was big argument on internet about Chinese made musclecar parts. Think about it, you have a $100K rotisserie restoration and some of the parts are Made In China on it simply because it could not (or would not) be feasible to do them reasonably priced in US. That is like wiping your ass before you shit. But I see it all the time, and big key word here is outsourced.
You look at some of the major AMC vendors catalogs and suddenly realize how much of the stuff is not made in US anymore. Simply due to cost.
Back to the cradle to grave thing. You see same thing with this current administration trying to be everything to everyone.... cradle to grave. Wallyworld has actully done it however!
more with article
yikes! I wonder if they toss in a free greeter?
Bart, part of the problem is most people are hooked on crack for lack of better term, but hook on uber low prices stuff. Whether it made in China, Mexico, Malaysia, Hong Kong, don't matter. Even labor, if I want my driveway done or drywall and sheetrock and painting inside house done, I go up to (pick one) corner of Witte and Long Point, or in front of Home Depot, or corner of Blalock & Long Point, or any corner under Westpark Tollway from Loop 610 west for 30 miles and there are dozens of Mexicans, Hondurans, Brazilians, Costa Ricans, Nicarguauans, Cubans, you name it, they swarm your car when you pull up so pick a few guys out to work labor! I pay $10 a hour which is something like the GDP of most of their toilet native countries, which is why they here, for work. Eh, ok, some to sell drugs for MS-13 also. But the honest guys will bust their asses for you from sunup to sundown for a days pay. And there is no shortage of them either. Go do a
google Street View search for Witte Road & Loong Point, Houston, Texas and you can actually see the dozens of vatos standing around waiting for work.
There are few places left out there like Doc speaks of, or as Bart said 'where you knew the people behind the counter' unfortunately. If you do know some, support them! There is a O'Reillys (yes, I know, a chain) on Gessner 2 miles from me but the guys there more than happy to look thru rows of books at end of counter to find me right AMC part and I spend $10K +++ a year there. But going back to Sprawlmart.. ....funny how you can go from one city to next and it all looks the same sometime.
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Friday, November 13, 2009 4:42 AM
Subject: [BaadAssGremlins] Re: Speaking Of Wal-Mart
Bart the cheap Chinese crap is part of it. The other is them driving all the local small businesses in town here out of businesss. I try not to frequent any chain stores if at all possible with Wal-Mart one to NEVER GO TO. I have been going to the same hardware store for 40 years, one auto parts store for 30 another for 20, Automotive paint supply store for 30, another for 10 and so on. Liquer store for 40, same with the supermarket even though it is a chain store. People know me and I feel you get better service too. The Home Depot opened 2 stores within 15 miles of me drove a few small lumber yards out of business. I still go to the small one next to where I worked 20+ years ago. Treat me right and I am a loyal customer forever, don't and you wll never see my fat old butt again.
"Doc"
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