Does Greater Binghamton Need Another Wal-Mart?
By Jim Willis on Nov 13, 2007 in Business, Reviews, Stores | Printable Version
In a word–yes! We do need another Wal-Mart. Not that it will make much of a difference to me personally. I shop at Wal-Mart only occasionally. I avoid it when I can. Why? Small isles…always crowded day or night…getting mugged for a donation by kids on the way in…90% of the items for sale are made in China. In short, it’s usually a miserable shopping experience for me when I enter our local Wal-Mart. I’m sure my experiences have a lot to do with the fact there is only one store in the entire Greater Binghamton area, located along the Route 434 corridor in Vestal (which I refer to as the Vestal Shopping Mecca). The next closest Wal-Marts are in Norwich, Elmira, or Scranton, all a good hour’s drive from Binghamton.
Locating a store in Johnson City, as proposed, will relieve congestion at the current store. Maybe I won’t have to park a quarter of a mile away anymore! However, I do think a better location would be somewhere on upper Front Street or State Route 12–on the northern end of Broome County. Apparently there’s not a big enough parcel of land to be had in that area. The only negative I can think of for the proposed site in JC are traffic tie-ups along Airport Road…hopefully the planners will figure that out and devise a clever way to handle the increased numbers.
I do not subscribe to the philosophy that Wal-Mart kills local businesses. The same could be said for Lowes, Home Depot, Target, Sears, J.C. Penny or any large retailer. For some reason Wal-Mart is always singled out as the whipping boy for killing local business. Let me remind you–this is America–not the USSR (as fond of that failed utopia as many local leftists are). Wal-Mart has the right to build. We have the right to shop there–or not! I choose to shop there sometimes, just not very much.
Neither do I subscribe to the nutty local conspiracy theory that Wal-Mart is building a new store some 6-7 miles from the existing store just to close the doors of the existing one. The new store is going to be smaller! I’m not quite sure how that logic works, but you know how conspiracy theories work. Logic isn’t a requirement.
In my humble opinion, Greater Binghamton could use 2-3 more Wal-Marts scattered around. Now if we can just get them to sell more American-made products…
How about you? Do you think it’s a good idea? Bad idea? Leave me a comment.
Technorati Tags: Binghamton, Wal-Mart
Richie | Nov 16, 2007 | Reply
Do we need another Wal-Mart? It’s a question typically asked and answered by those who despise the world’s largest retailer. Of course they always answer disapprovingly. Jim on the other hand rightly answered yes, but I suggest it is an ineffective question. Do we need a new elementary school? Do we need to add an additional administrative position to our local government? Do we need another highway? are each examples of effectual questions. What’s the difference? The school, bureaucrat, and the road will be paid for with public funds, our money. Tax payers are the “we” in “do we need?” Wal-Mart stores are paid for with investors’ funds and profits from honorable commerce. If Wal-Mart anticipates being able to turn a profit by adding “another” store and are willing to invest their resources to create the facility, then they have right to ask and answer the question. After all it is Wal-Mart rather than their critics who are the “we” in the question “Do we need another Wal-Mart?”
Jim Willis | Nov 16, 2007 | Reply
Excellent thoughts Richie. As always, your insights are “spot on” (as my Brit friends say). I like the way you call attention to the fact that it is investors and shareholders, rather than taxpayers, who will be building this new Wal-Mart. Thanks for commenting!
Scott F. | Jan 10, 2008 | Reply
Jim, where as I respect your position on this subject, and do say you have a good point about Wal-Mart being singled out. However, I disagree that we need another Wal-Mart. In my opinion, we don’t need anything other huge store in this area. Everyday driving down the Vestal Parkway I look at stores like Target, Circuit City and Wal-Mart and I don’t see big companies taking away from small business, I see local residents throwing their money out of this community.
All of the profits are going to wall street and cities that have no effect on this region. The only money locally that is staying is wage for employees and taxes, the other 90% is leaving this area and not helping us at all.
Jim Willis | Jan 11, 2008 | Reply
Hi Scott - thanks for commenting! I like to welcome all new commenters to the blog. I appreciate you taking the time to leave a comment.
You make a good point about where the money goes. It wrankles me a bit too–especially when the money goes off-shore. However, I make a distinction between a preference and a right. I think freedom trumps our preference to see that money stays local.
For example, instead of Circuit City, you might try shopping at Unicorn Electronics in JC (I shop at both–but go to Unicorn whenever I can). And instead of Wal-Mart or Target, there’s always Boscov’s, although most people probably wouldn’t chose Boscov’s over either of the others.
My point is that we can offer our thoughts and try to persuade others to a certain viewpoint, but we should not legislate, and our local political leaders should not overstep their bounds, to prevent a legitimate business from locating here. Freedom–the free market–should make that decision. If enough people change their behavior, that freedom to chose will force a change!
Thanks again, and please comment again sometime!
- Jim
Scott F. | Jan 11, 2008 | Reply
In response Jim, first thank you for providing a local website with intelligent discussion and not just bickering like the BC Voice. As I’ve read this blog I realize everyone here seems to subscribe to the “we can disagree in a civil way.” I just stumbled on this blog but I will continue to read, and post when I have something to contribute. I thank you for the welcome.
Now as to what you said, I do agree with you. I think preference gets in the way with rights. I can speak for just myself, but I feel like Wal-Mart coming in will help the low budget families in this area, the college kids, but I think that in order to make this area stronger, we need to keep the money that our biggest factory (Binghamton University) is dumping into this area.
It just seems like a big circle to me. College kid comes into the area, spends money at Wal-Mart, and then it leaves the area again, only keeping the taxes and employee wages. Problem with the employee’s wage is that also leaves the area when he/she goes to Circuit City and buys a TV.
Not to get entirely off topic, but I can agree with you on the rights issue. If people want it, then it will work. Problem is, I think a lot of people want it, without knowing or caring about what kind of effect it will have.
Thanks Jim, look forward to reading further,
Scott F.
Jim Willis | Jan 12, 2008 | Reply
And thank you Scott. I appreciate the kind words. I’m glad you noticed what this blog is about–opinion and civil discourse. I appreciate all comments–but especially those that disagree with me (strange though that may sound). It helps keep me honest about my own opinions–makes me dig deep to be sure my reasoning is sound. And although our passions sometimes run deep, hopefully we remain civil in our discourse. Thanks for “getting it”!
- Jim
WHB | Jan 12, 2008 | Reply
Disclaimer: I neither live in Binghamton or JC. Though I do live on the outskirts (the other side of the river/tracks so to speak). My wife shops at Vestal Walmart though I have only darkened the doors 5-6 times in the 9 years I have lived here (thank God for internet-shopping).
Local politics rarely stirs me. So this issue would seem to be the last to which I might invest myself. But the comments of Jim and Scott crack the seal for the economic/cultural struggles of our community. I couldn’t agree with both of you more and I lament with Scott over the circular (spiral) nature of our problems. Scott seems to realize our economic struggle is behaviorally related.
I do not want to stir this pot but offer an observation. At one time our “valley that time forgot” was the place where money came (IBM, EJ). Now we lament that it leaves but I am continually reminded by the pundits that we now live in a global economy. So perhaps we are a little too frustrated (myself included) that our money goes overseas. Secondly, our problems are part of a larger state issue of taxation and regulation. Ours is one of the worst states in the Union in which to conduct business. Perhaps we should be thankful that the likes of Walmart would even come (obviously overstated but I could not help being contrarian). So, while I would not want Walmart in my backyard. My guess is that in the long run it will be nothing but good for JC. Except for the traffic that is. I hate traffic. Another reason I don’t shop Walmart. WHB