The "Always" wouldn't bother me as much as the "Wal-Mart" part of the sign.

I was just gonna say the same thing! Hilarious.

i'm no fan of wal-marts in general, but i strolled through this one yesterday and was pretty impressed.  it certainly raises the bar in some areas and provides a long missing one-stop shopping experience for those in the area.

 

i've never seen so many security cameras though, and the place doesn't seem to have any self check outs. 

So with Wal-Mart opening did a crevice to hell erupt in the parking lot with demons escaping to devour small children and old ladies?  Or any of the other dire predictions of a Wal-Mart opening within the city limits come true?

No, but give it a few months - some curmudgeonly small business owner who's never advertised or dusted off the cobwebs on their inventory will no doubt close shop and blame it all on Wal-Mart, the city, UrbanOhio, etc.

I don't think these sorts of things happen overnight.  It'll take a couple of years to see how the retail scene shakes out.  Since there is so little neighborhood retail left, though, I doubt that the impact will be so big.  The main thing we have to lose is Dave's.

So with Wal-Mart opening did a crevice to hell erupt in the parking lot with demons escaping to devour small children and old ladies?  Or any of the other dire predictions of a Wal-Mart opening within the city limits come true?

 

No, but give it a few months - some curmudgeonly small business owner who's never advertised or dusted off the cobwebs on their inventory will no doubt close shop and blame it all on Wal-Mart, the city, UrbanOhio, etc.

 

I'd say these are "post of the week" material!  Lets remember to review these posts in 3/6/12 months.

i've never seen so many security cameras though, and the place doesn't seem to have any self check outs. 

 

It has four general merchandise and six grocery "Speedy Check-outs." I got a tour of the place last week by the store manager and took lots of photos. Only two were used by Sun. But I learned a lot about Wal-Mart retailing that I never knew before. Like: they have different store sets for each segment of merchandise. A store set is a category based on the square feet of floor space, as well as the amount and variety of merchandise in that set.

 

For example, there are three different sizes of store sets  for infant merchandise. The Steelyard store has the largest of Wal-Mart's three infant merchandise store sets because of the store's proximity to MetroHealth Medical Center (which has a maternity ward). Or, urban stores typically have the largest store sets of exercise equipment but the smallest store sets of camping equipment. The sizes of those two store sets are often reversed in rural stores, which often get the largest store sets of camping equipment but the smallest store sets of exercise equipment. Each supervisor of a department runs their store set like it's a separate store, including stocking, staffing and presentation (within Wal-Mart's proscribed standards).

 

Management will divide up the floor space with store sets based on what they believe the marketplace will support. However, since this is Cleveland's first Wal-Mart, management doesn't know how to tailor the store sets for this market yet. They will be watching the sales over a year's time to see how various products sell or don't sell through various seasons. That "watch and see" will also apply to store hours. They didn't go with a 24-store right of the bat because they don't yet know if they will fly in Cleveland. They'd rather expand into a 24-hour store than withdraw from it. Their hours are 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

 

And, by the way, various products have their "Christmas" -- school supplies, holiday store sets and even toilet seats. Yes, you heard me right. Wal-Mart sees a big jump in the sales of toilet seats in November. Why? Since Wal-Mart is designed "for mom" -- the woman of the household usually buys new toilet seats before families and friends come visiting during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.

 

Though I'm no fan of Wal-Mart, I found all of this stuff fascinating.

^ Do you think they call the busiest shopping day of the toilet season "Brown Friday"?

 

Thank you very much! I'll be here all week.  Please remember to tip the waitstaff.  :wink:

^ Do you think they call the busiest shopping day of the toilet season "Brown Friday"?

 

Thank you very much! I'll be here all week.  Please remember to tip the waitstaff.   :wink:

 

LMAO!! :clap: :clap: :clap:

i've never seen so many security cameras though, and the place doesn't seem to have any self check outs. 

 

It has four general merchandise and six grocery "Speedy Check-outs." I got a tour of the place last week by the store manager and took lots of photos. Only two were used by Sun. But I learned a lot about Wal-Mart retailing that I never knew before. Like: they have different store sets for each segment of merchandise. A store set is a category based on the square feet of floor space, as well as the amount and variety of merchandise in that set.

 

For example, there are three different sizes of store sets  for infant merchandise. The Steelyard store has the largest of Wal-Mart's three infant merchandise store sets because of the store's proximity to MetroHealth Medical Center (which has a maternity ward). Or, urban stores typically have the largest store sets of exercise equipment but the smallest store sets of camping equipment. The sizes of those two store sets are often reversed in rural stores, which often get the largest store sets of camping equipment but the smallest store sets of exercise equipment. Each supervisor of a department runs their store set like it's a separate store, including stocking, staffing and presentation (within Wal-Mart's proscribed standards).

 

Management will divide up the floor space with store sets based on what they believe the marketplace will support. However, since this is Cleveland's first Wal-Mart, management doesn't know how to tailor the store sets for this market yet. They will be watching the sales over a year's time to see how various products sell or don't sell through various seasons. That "watch and see" will also apply to store hours. They didn't go with a 24-store right of the bat because they don't yet know if they will fly in Cleveland. They'd rather expand into a 24-hour store than withdraw from it. Their hours are 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

 

And, by the way, various products have their "Christmas" -- school supplies, holiday store sets and even toilet seats. Yes, you heard me right. Wal-Mart sees a big jump in the sales of toilet seats in November. Why? Since Wal-Mart is designed "for mom" -- the woman of the household usually buys new toilet seats before families and friends come visiting during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.

 

Though I'm no fan of Wal-Mart, I found all of this stuff fascinating.

 

I would love to see pictures!  I could use this as leverage.

Leverage??

Leverage??

Yes, I have a Wal-Mart video conference on Tuesday morning.  Subject: store sets

 

 

A store set is a category based on the square feet of floor space, as well as the amount and variety of merchandise in that set.

 

What is the floor set for guns at the SYC site?

Went grocery shopping today at the Walmart in SYC. The prices are so insanely cheap.  Some products were a 30% discount or higher over Dave's. Breyer's ice cream was $3.86, and not even on sale! Customer service was very friendly.

Way too crowded for me though. Too many real slow people, people that stop in the middle of the aisle paying no attention to whose behind them, people that don't even move when you say excuse me. Too many bratty kids with their moms swearing and telling them to shut up and screaming at them. I'll have to try a quieter time when I go back.

 

"Too many real slow people, people that stop in the middle of the aisle paying no attention to whose behind them, people that don't even move when you say excuse me. Too many bratty kids with their moms swearing and telling them to shut up and screaming at them..."

 

sounds like it is worth paying 30% more at Dave's. That and some drivel about SUPPORTING LOCAL BUSINESS

"Too many real slow people, people that stop in the middle of the aisle paying no attention to whose behind them, people that don't even move when you say excuse me. Too many bratty kids with their moms swearing and telling them to shut up and screaming at them..."

 

sounds like it is worth paying 30% more at Dave's. That and some drivel about SUPPORTING LOCAL BUSINESS

 

I won't be doing any grocery shopping at Walmart. For many reasons, we need Dave's to do well.

OK, here ya go. Cleveland's first Wal-Mart and Cuyahoga County's first Wal-Mart Superstore. These photos were taken Oct. 18, six days before opening. They were in the process of welding the Wal-Mart sign to the facade. I hope I posted these in time for MTS's meeting with Wal-Mart folks!!

 

 

 

Store manager Chris Jones, left, and associate Joel P in the scrapbooking section...

 

 

Lotsa bikes....

 

 

Workers making last-minute repairs to skylights, which are intended to reduce Wal-Mart's lighting bills. They also have motion-detector powered lights in food refrigerators and freezers....

 

 

 

 

Talk about low prices!! ...

 

 

So much so that they can't keep stuff on the shelves...

 

 

 

Cashiers in love, er, training....

 

 

 

And, finally, the last signs of construction work...

 

 

OK, Cleveland, shop 'til you drop!

Isn't Walmart going green with alot of their buildings?  I see the skylights and the motion sensor cooler lights, are there any other notable green features?

"Too many real slow people, people that stop in the middle of the aisle paying no attention to whose behind them, people that don't even move when you say excuse me. Too many bratty kids with their moms swearing and telling them to shut up and screaming at them..."

 

Out of curiosity, were any of these moms white?

^is brattyness a function of ethnicity?

stopped at steelyard friday.  the walmart was crazy busy.  like, 200 cars in the parking lot busy.  I shop at daves-oc, so I will likely not be going to wallyworld.  but nonetheless, it deserves noting, people like cheap crap.       

 

Out of curiosity, were any of these moms white?

 

out of curiosity, are you a socialogist or a closet racist?

It's easy to label someone a racist, isn't it.

 

Still wondering if any of the moms were white?

Isn't Walmart going green with alot of their buildings?  I see the skylights and the motion sensor cooler lights, are there any other notable green features?

 

Wal-Mart is going green, mostly for the cost efficiencies http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/retail/2006-09-24-wal-mart-cover-usat_x.htm

Whatever the reason, it's great they're doing it. More companies need to go green, especially in the Midwest where there's still a lot of industrial pollution.

Isn't Walmart going green with alot of their buildings?  I see the skylights and the motion sensor cooler lights, are there any other notable green features?

 

All of the new Wal-Marts (and remodeled) have skylights and motion sensor cooler lights. They also instituted recycling programs, and have various "wellness programs" for their employees. I am a pharm. intern for them, and I recently had dinner with the pharm. district manager, and we started talking about the SYC store, and she said that they were not expecting big sales for that store, so it is good to hear that the place is packed.

IIRC, WalMart was also choosing Cleveland as a city where they were planning to do some considerable community outreach/funding efforts. I'm sure there's info earlier in this thread about it ...

"Too many real slow people, people that stop in the middle of the aisle paying no attention to whose behind them, people that don't even move when you say excuse me. Too many bratty kids with their moms swearing and telling them to shut up and screaming at them..."

 

sounds like it is worth paying 30% more at Dave's. That and some drivel about SUPPORTING LOCAL BUSINESS

 

Honest question here: Why don't more people show love for Marc's as they do Dave's? 

I'm not saying Dave's is some plush foo-foo experience, but Marc's is just downright unpleasant. Does Marc's even take debit/credit cards yet?

Marc's hasn't made the effort and taken the risk to bring quality retail and good jobs back to Cleveland's poorest neighborhoods.  If you want to discuss deals on off brand items and Two-Buck Chuck, all props to Marc's.

I think Marc's takes Discover, not sure about Debit cards.  The one they put in Coventry is actually pretty nice (and much nicer than the other Marcs' I've been in) and a huge improvement over the Medic that was there before.  Still, not where I choose to do my grocery shopping, but good when you need basic stuff.

I'm not saying Dave's is some plush foo-foo experience, but Marc's is just downright unpleasant. Does Marc's even take debit/credit cards yet?

 

some do. If you knew how much say a credit card merchant charges for transactions (flat fee + sometimes %), you'd know how bernie keeps costs down. When a mom & pop says "credit minimum charge, $5" its literally that they won't make money on the transaction, i.e. the credit fees eat away all or more of the profit they have built into the price.

At Marcs there's a trade off. Lower prices and lower overhead meaining stores that may look rough. I know a lot of people appreciate the lower prices and can look past a few pieces of missing floor tile and only paying with cash in some locations.

I have been consistently impressed with oc-dave's ability to fulfill my need for belgian beer and goya food products.  but when I think about it, I visit the grocery store closest to me, that I am used to.  hence, if there was a marc's I would probably go.

I <3 Marc's! You can come out of there spending $15 for what would have cost $25 elsewhere. This is a big deal for people on extremely tight budgets...like me!

"If you knew how much say a credit card merchant charges for transactions (flat fee + sometimes %), you'd know how bernie keeps costs down. When a mom & pop says "credit minimum charge, $5" its literally that they won't make money on the transaction, i.e. the credit fees eat away all or more of the profit they have built into the price."

 

I'm fine with that (mom and pop minimum charge, etc.), it's just the few times I've been in a Marc's, there's not even the option. My biggest gripe with Marc's is that every person working there seemed like some sort of disgruntled zombie.

A job is a job.

Okay fine - the most disgruntled of disgruntled zombies. :roll:

even disgruntled zombies need jobs...halloween only comes once a year.

I agree Marc's is great if you want to be pleasantly surprised at the checkout line rather than suddenly queasy.  Of course I've also felt suddenly queasy at Marc's when I get to the checkout and suddenly realize I only have 5 dollars in Federal Reserve Notes in my pocket. 

 

I've never been to a Dave's.  The other drawbacks to Marc's is it's just generally harder to find stuff in their stores, and the lack of a meat section in either of the ones I've been to.  I've seen sales for meat in the Marc's weekly ad so some stores must have it.  Neither of mine do.

I have been consistently impressed with oc-dave's ability to fulfill my need for belgian beer and goya food products.  but when I think about it, I visit the grocery store closest to me, that I am used to.  hence, if there was a marc's I would probably go.

let me tell you, I think they just made that Belgian beer section. They used to have a few on the shelf, but now, it is amazing..

I've gone to the Marcs in Eastgate (Som/Mayfield Road).

 

Yikes...

I have been consistently impressed with oc-dave's ability to fulfill my need for belgian beer and goya food products.  but when I think about it, I visit the grocery store closest to me, that I am used to.  hence, if there was a marc's I would probably go.

let me tell you, I think they just made that Belgian beer section. They used to have a few on the shelf, but now, it is amazing..

 

The willingness and ability of Daves to adapt to their individual markets is one reason I think they'll be fine in spite of Wal-Mart. And I know I'm not the only person who would shop at the Giant Eagle on Clifton before I'd ever set foot in a Wal-Mart.

Thats another good thing about an indie. It would takes years of cost benifit analysis and corporate meetings before walmart or other corporate grocery but a wall of Belgians on the shelf. But I am guessing the average Walmart shopper is not drinking Belgian beer though. I love my Daves.

Thats another good thing about an indie. It would takes years of cost benifit analysis and corporate meetings before walmart or other corporate grocery but a wall of Belgians on the shelf. But I am guessing the average Walmart shopper is not drinking Belgian beer though. I love my Daves.

 

sorry that's BS. Companies whether they are walmarts, targets or or J. crews track and compile data on nearly all of their transactions. If roller skates are selling poorly in Cleveland, you'll see less of them. If clogs are selling like hotcakes in Youngstown, they'll receive more in their shipments.

 

Walmart or anyone else didn't get so big just because of a happy smiley face, these guys know how to run a shop.

OK maybe not well articulated. I guess I would explain why I said this. On the OC yahoo board (I believe) w/in the last 6  -8weeks -people were bitching about Dave's beer selection and how another market was filling the niche, and viola! a wall of Belgians appears. If you went to manager at Walmart and said people in Tremont and OC likey their Belgian how long do you think it would take to hit the shelf? Of course they use market analysis, however  they ain't listening to you or me. They are listening are doing souless analysis that says for instance some people in Cleveland live in poverty and thus love their shake and bake, kool aide and hamburger helper so lets do it in super bulk. I can't stand the fact that you could be blindfolded and transported to any Walmart (or crappy stucco mall) in the US and look around and not know where the f you even are. Put me in Dave's any day and see all the Goya, and the good beer  interacting and hot D I know I am in OHIO CITY! Not paduka or des moines or some mccrapy suburb with the same Walmart +/- some guns

edit:I recently read that walmarts profits have slowed significantly. I will try and find it. It was in the NY times I believe. 

Pope is right, even while working at Walgreens I was able to see how the store tried to fit into its neighborhood accordingly. Products you find at the East Cleveland or East 116th and Union Walgreens you won't find at the one on S.O.M. Center road in Solon.

is that kind of like the save a lot on detroit  that has pregnecy tests next to the chewing gum in the check out line? or do all save a lots do that ? Is a pregnancy test something you pick up like dental floss or batteries? "oh yeah. I almost forgot, a I need a pregnancy test".

 

Below is something about how walmart gets into your head. I have not found the profit decrease article yet. it was something about the mart being out of touch and not related to the economy.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/14/business/yourmoney/14wal.html?ex=1258088400&en=0605d1fc88b8ab98&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland

is that kind of like the save a lot on detroit  that has pregnecy tests next to the chewing gum in the check out line? or do all save a lots do that ? Is a pregnancy test something you pick up like dental floss or batteries? "oh yeah. I almost forgot, a I need a pregnancy test".

 

Below is something about how walmart gets into your head. I have not found the profit decrease article yet. it was something about the mart being out of touch and not related to the economy.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/14/business/yourmoney/14wal.html?ex=1258088400&en=0605d1fc88b8ab98&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland

 

^No, is all that needs to be said after that.

Sheesh. BOOOOOOORING.