[StBernard] Wal-Mart - just my personal feelings

[Westley Annis]

"I frankly wish I didn't have to shop at Wal-Mart at all. 
Answer: Well if you feel that strongly why shop there then?  (just a
rhetorical
question)"

Jer Responds: Most people who make combined household incomes of $60,000
probably won't patronize a wal-mart in their communities, may not find the
item they are looking for at both Wal-Marts or a local, po'a$$ community,
and will choose to leave da parish to find whatever he/she wants considering
he/she has the financial resources to afford it.

Fact: Some can't afford the extra $25 in gas to try and save $10 over
another store by "car-pooling" it to another parish. Therefore they're
having to depend upon high prices locally (is what some communities rely
upon to keep "bailers out" to travel to other communities. However, one
cannot fault the small biz owner who must charge 20-40% higher because the
owners can't afford "bulk purchasing" to get cheaper prices margins to
resell at a profit and afford lower prices. It's the simplistic law of
economics--buy in larger quantities, get better prices and pass the savings
onto customers (rather than adsorb an additional 50% in profit).

Before Katrina, it was the same way. The reasoning/facts was that someone
earning over $40,000 then would travel to Metairie to find items, service or
entertainment not available in da Parish. (Whether it be a Target, a
shopping Mall, or a theatre).

Restaurants then, and now are mom-&-pop ones which were family-owned and
discovered back 30 yrs. or more. Others sprang up by those who believed they
were fabulous cooks and later determined they were "kitchen nightmares"
similar to Gordon Ramsay's program. Family specialties that couldn't be sold
to a soup kitchen, a place that would close down because they were inspected
by the board of health, or a team of "culinary experts" who either couldn't
cook an egg or run a business if their lives depended upon it.

Small biz are fine if their product line is of quality "better than a
Wal-Mart (which imho is a league above a K-Mart, or S-Mart,etc.). or
franchise chains, has the product that can't be found at a "super-chain" or
has better service, and parking availability as to not to discourage a
potential customer. 

Entertainment? Who dat? What dat?

Services? We do hope people aren't getting ripped off by having to deal with
many who are non-bonded, no insurance, no work ethic and stealing from its
clients/customers because they're local and best to be trusted than anyone
else. Better education and research about a worker/established biz (rather
than one off the street knocking on one's door) would be helpful.

As said, no one is forced to shop anywhere. But, properly laid out economic
development, rebuilding of da parish, and satisfied recovery to individuals
can be a boon to a community such as St. Bernard who's doing wonders
considering the whooping it took by a bitc% named Katrina.

--jer--