# The Mini-Market Hostile U.S. Takeover



## habilis (Aug 2, 2003)

I'm relatively young, 28, but I can remember when I was a kid growing up, there was plenty of little "Mom-n-Pop" shops all over the place. All different names, lots of variety in the stores, lots of friendly store owners, very good service, and nice people as a whole.

My, how things have changed since then. I still live in the same area and basically what's happened over the last 20 years is what I call the "Mini-Market Hostile Takeover". We have 1 choice now. CVS. CVS is the eastern equivalent of Wallmart. There is now a CVS on EVERY major intersection. They do this to completely smother out any competition, and they even compete with themselves purposely so when 1 of the stores business is doing bad, they sell it to a business that will not compete with them. An example of this was when they had 3 stores on the same street within a less then 1 mile stretch. They were all competeing against each other, then the one in the middle got closed and they sold it to a dry cleaners. It's a market strangulation very much like the deregulation of radio and the chokehold Clearchannel now has on the music industry.

This wouldn't be so bad if the the service was decent, but it sucks, and the people are all very unfriendly in these homogenized chains. The people who work there don't seem to care so much, and why not, it's not like any of them own the store.

the same goes for the grocery store's. They aren't even called grocery stores anymore because what they are now is mega-markets. We have one chain that has gobbled up everything else, called Giant Eagle, in these Mega-markets you can find EVERYTHING you will need. They have clothing, electronics, tools, housewares, sporting goods, books, movies, cd's, a full-service grocery store, and even guns all in 1 giant room, under 1 roof. It wont suprise me to see that these stores are all that exist in 25 more years. There's 2 or 3 in this area and they act like a cancer, sucking the revenue and lifeblood out of any competing outlet within miles.

More and more power, falling into fewer and fewer hands. How interesting.

We sold our souls to the devil to save a few bucks.


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## Arden (Aug 2, 2003)

It's really sad that big business is so heartless.  My government/economics teacher explained how a business like Walmart, or CVS in your case (what's that stand for, BTW?), can go into a small town, open up a mega-super-ultrastore, and sell everything just under what all the little businesses do.  They can afford to, because they are the richest company in the world.  Then the little businesses go out of business because they can't compete, and Walmart jacks up the prices.  It's a good way to ruin an area's economy.

I think something like that happened in Flint, Michigan, which is where Michael Moore grew up.  GMC had a big manufacturing business there, which employed lots of people and made lots of money for the town.  Then they moved the place to Mexico or something, cutting jobs and throwing the town into disarrray.  It's actually quite sickening.


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## Randman (Aug 2, 2003)

You need to watch Roger & Me (and Pets Or Meat: The Return To Flint). GM closed a plant down which hurt the city, but it had nothing to do whatsoever with the Wal-Mart Syndrome.
   And while I agree that many of these hyper-marts are a bane, I'll play devil's advocate and say they succeed because prices are lower than a Mom & Pop shop, the selection is greater and more people in a community are employed. 
   That said, you shouldn't ever go to Australia. I've seen more KMarts there than anywhere else in my life.
   And I must say I had a little feeling of Americana (good and bad) of visiting a giant Wal-Mart in Shenzhen on one of my first visits to China while working in SE Asia for a few years (where there's no Wal- or KMarts (or CVS, whatever  that is).
  But if you're willing to pay more, there are always options for your shopping dollar.


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## Arden (Aug 2, 2003)

Though people don't want to pay more, so they go to whoever has the best price.  That is usually the megachain with billions in capital who can afford to undersell products and eat the profits while they outsource the competition.  Mom-and-Pop stores can't undersell their products because they will not make a profit and they don't have vast reserves to draw on.

When I went to Boston on a youth group trip a few years ago, on practically every other corner was a Dunkin' Donuts.  I'm not kidding:  there were more Dunkin' Donuts in Boston than there are Starbucks in all of California.  I'm not sure who they were competing with, but that's a lot of donuts.

I like the SNL skit with Jennifer Garner and Amy Poehler where they are 2 greeters at a Walmart so big it has its own indigineous species, weather patterns, etc.


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## monktus (Aug 3, 2003)

That's capitalism for you guys, it sucks. Walmart bought out ASDA over here a year or two back too. I haven't noticed any big changes yet but no doubt there will be. This has been going on for 30 years with the growth of supermarkets but I agree that it's getting worse and something to be concerned about. Walmart are evil [awaiting US special forces to absail through my window and take me to Cuba]. As are Starbucks. I know its extremely silly but I did like the start of the second Austin Powers film where you discover Dr Evil's world domination operation has been trading as Starbucks. I've never yet been into one but then again I don't like coffee.


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## Romendo (Aug 3, 2003)

It is interesting that Wal-Mart was so successful in other countries. As far as I know they had big trouble in Germany. I guess they didn't adapt to the local habits. For example, they had to offer super-market type items (such as fresh fruits and vegetables) in order to make their stores more attractive.

So far I have seen only one Wal-Mart in Germany. That was in Munich and it wasn't that popular. I wonder how they are doing nowadays. So far they haven't made it to Austria - yet.


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## Giaguara (Aug 3, 2003)

But GErmany has their own Walmart that has spreaded all over Europe, from Italy to Spain and UK to Finland. Aldi. They have good prices and where ever they appear in Europe they get instantly clients. 

In US .. At least where I live I find alternatives. I hate Osco's and similar, huge chains, huge markets which make me feel sick. Everything ready made food, a lot of junk, and pricy (when not in offer). I prefer the alternatives: there are plenty of Mexican small or bigger stores that have the food I like (to cook!) and good prices and interesting new stuff I've never tried ... such as nopales. (cactus leaves) .. I figured how to cook them and I tried - ver nice. Another different is Caputo's, a local  big supermarket founded by some Italian emigrants in the 1950s. Plenty of imported stuff, lovely vegetable department and just different stuff from the big chagins. Besides they (and the mexican stores) have really different prices on food, e.g. pepper 39 c per lb .. when Osco's etc have 3,99.


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## habilis (Aug 3, 2003)

> _Originally posted by monktus _
> That's capitalism for you guys, it sucks.


Well, I'd say it's the dark side of capitalism, but the dark side of socialism is worse.


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## chevy (Aug 3, 2003)

Big markets win where people prefer uniformity and low cost to difference and culture. They grow... become too big like dinosaurs... and disappear when smaller ones outgrow them.

Think different !


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## Romendo (Aug 3, 2003)

Sure, Aldi has spread throughout Europe, but it hardly is a Wal-Mart. They have some really good stuff at cheap prices. Here in Austria they are called Hofer because a tiny company holds the rights to the Aldi name.

Anyway, on the street where I live we have an Aldi (Hofer). However, almost right beside it is another super-market and on the other side of the street there is a fresh-fruit stand. I guess they all can survive.

The strangest deja-vu was when I went on a four-day trip to 
Washington, D.C. Not far from our hotel in Alexandria there was an Aldi...


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## pds (Aug 3, 2003)

So did CVS make the salesperson unfriendly, or is it a lack of vision for their own future, a case of victimology? The lack of vision is a problem, not the store. People think -"I'm just this p-on in a big corporate world and all the odds are stacked against me, boo hoo feel sorry for me," and walk around with an attitude to match it. 

Sorry, I don't buy it. It's just bad manners. People have lost sight of what it means to be human. You create your reality and your worldview, not your boss.


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## TommyWillB (Aug 3, 2003)

I wonder how long until Americans start to understand the the Walmart version of capitalism is just as harmful as that of the railroads, Standard Oil, etc...

It's harmful in a more subtle way, so it is easier to go unnoticed for longer... And the Walmart executives know they have to stay out of public view as much as possible... It will be harder to brand a company as evil when the world does not know it's CEO and think that person is evil.

I don't think I even know who the CEO of any of my least favorite companies are much less have an opinion of if they are good/bad people... so it must be working.


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## JohnnyV (Aug 3, 2003)

A open Communist system could solve all of our problems.


Please don't hate me...


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## adambyte (Aug 3, 2003)

Yeah, it's a shame nobody has actually tried Communism. Instead, people try their own twisted versions of communism. bah!


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## habilis (Aug 3, 2003)

> _Originally posted by JohnnyV _
> *A open Communist system could solve all of our problems.*


The problem with communism is that it's so unnatural. It doesn't generate any internal competition, so national stagnation is a real problem, and advances in any field are limited to non-existant. You could look at former USSR for a great example of that. China's only comming up now because they're finally allowing limited capitalism there - keeping a very close eye on it too. The whole problem is, if people can't make a lot of money for inventing something new or better, why do it? There's no real incentive for progress in a communist structure.

I'm sure pure capitalism isn't the final answer either, we'll probably find this out in a hundred years or so.

There must be something perfectly in between. Something that we haven't thought of yet because this new idea can only function in a far future technologically advaced culture.


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## JohnnyV (Aug 3, 2003)

The reason past communist systems have failed is because the had pour leaders.  I believe that if we pair an OPEN communist system (meaning open submission of ideas) with a democratic government we could all be better off.  In order to encourage implementation of ideas and development of new ones special rewards or bonuses could be rewarded to the major players.


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## Arden (Aug 3, 2003)

I've always said that a person's paycheck should be determined by their worth to society.  Athletes should not make millions of dollars and be able to strike for more millions while teachers go practically on minimum wage.

I think I have more to say, but it's dinner time.  Portabella mushroomburgers.  Yum.


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## habilis (Aug 3, 2003)

> _Originally posted by arden _
> Portabella mushroomburgers.  Yum.


You just made me drool...


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## Giaguara (Aug 3, 2003)

> _Originally posted by arden _
> *I've always said that a person's paycheck should be determined by their worth to society.  Athletes should not make millions of dollars and be able to strike for more millions while teachers go practically on minimum wage.*



FYI teachers do not take the minimum wage. But I agree, the sports stars, especially in US are overpaid. And so do many over-famous actors, musician etc too (of which only the too famous ones!), and politicians...

What or who should determine the individual's / prefession's value to the society? Sex, race, nationality, heigh, face, religion should be completely off-topic on determining the salaries - yet in Europe it's normal women get 30-50 % smaller salary. Which would be the worth a lot professions? I think many practical works are undervaluated - e.g. people taking care of the drainages etc 'dirty works' that eveeryone notices only when they fail. Doctors? They already earn a lot. Housemums? Their worth to society I guess would be determined on how much they reproduce themselves and then how intelligent their kids are. Thus 10 intelligents kids = well-paid house mum, 1 medium-low intelligent kid: minimum wage? Interpreters, and people working for love, peace and socially good (for everyone) good service: more paid than now? And which would be the non-worthy professions? I guess I would classify all telemarketing and phone sales to that (just because they annoy me). And most of the temporary work agencies - when many countries work force transforms to fast and instable, those are the only works that seem to flourish (to work as a staff or slaves of those agencies). And all religious jobs, but again that's only me ..


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## Arden (Aug 4, 2003)

If a profession is in the business of keeping something else running, whether it be a sewer or a human body, then it has high worth to society.  If it is something like education, that helps people become knowledgable and self-sustaining, then it has high worth to society.  If it's entertainment, then it has low worth to society.  I could go on, but I can't think of every possible profession right now.

And I know teachers make more than minimum wage, but they don't make very much, and they are practically required to use their overtime and hard-earned money for the betterment of their classes, like shopping for art supplies or looking up data for a project.  They often don't get reimbursed for this, especially not in today's slash-the-budget economy, so we should be very grateful to our teachers for doing all this, _then_ going to school and putting up with all the bull shiste from students and other teachers.  Just one example.

Ask a professional basketball player and a teacher if either of them would like a bigger paycheck.  Bets are both say yes.  Then ask them why.


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## habilis (Aug 4, 2003)

Yeah but on balance you gotta admit, people aren't going to pay 25 dollars to see Harold W. Wilberflingen teach summer school. But they will pay 25 dollars to see a bunch of egomaniac sex-fiend doped-up cokehead steroid-popping testosterone-pumped rapeist athletes playing an over-the-top physical sport where the victors win the freekin lottery every game. It's beneth disgust I know. It's an absolute abomination I know. But these athletes are money-generators on legs. Until they aren't, it'll always be this way. Maybe this will give people another good argument against the "evils of capitalism" debate.


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