Walmart coming to town is a positive and a negative. They bring hundreds of jobs, low prices, and quality products. However, it does hurt local businesses that sell many of the same products. It does take away from the quaint look of the town, but in a rough economic time, Walmart will be good for Powhatan.

I have recently noticed a great improvement in friendliness and service at the two local Food Lions. They are getting ahead of the competition before it even comes to town. I don’t see that happening in most small business stores that serve the general public.

The writer makes some excellent points. The fact of the matter is that we are losing valuable tax revenue to Farmville and Chesterfield because many of us like the convenience and low prices of large retail stores like Walmart. Don’t you want Powhatan sales tax revenues to benefit Powhatan schools?

With regards to the concerns of small business owners concerned with competition, that’s called capitalism.  However, common sense tells me that Walmart won’t hurt the smaller stores and will probably help them.  Who doesn’t think that bringing thousands of people to an area won’t create spillover to other local retailers. These people are mostly going down the road to Chesterfield anyway. The losers are likely to folks like Food Lion. Some people like shopping at big retail stores and some like the convenience of smaller ones. Things won’t change much after Walmart is here.

Also - the facts don’t support smaller retail stores closing down when a Walmart comes to town. I read in the Times Dispatch about two months ago an excellent story talking about how Walmart had no negative impact on Ashland after they moved in even though small shop owners thought the world would end if they came.

The bottom line is this: does anyone really believe that locating a Walmart five minutes away from Target at Watkins Center will have an impact with local retailers? That doesn’t make sense. I say yes to Walmart.

I agree with you both.  Eventually big box stores will come but now is not the time.  Most people that live in Powhatan don’t work in Powhatan.  I do my shopping before I come home as do the majority of residents.  There is no demand for a Mega Walmart and if Walmart is coming I’d bet they are getting a really good tax break—which doesn’t really help Powhatan.  I think the only people that will see a true benefit is land owner where the developer will build the Walmart and whomever gets incentives from working this deal. Powhatan is fically strong and can thrive without Walmarts tax dollars.

Typical Wal-Mart customer—absolute lowest price, as opposed to personal service and overall value, is the determining factor.

If the writer of this letter owned a small business in Powhatan, she would be singing a different song. I strongly disagree that the service at our local stores is poor. I’m guessing that since this writer doesn’t shop locally, she has no way of knowing. I disagree that Wal-mart’s service can beat the local service provided by business owners who know their customers by name and who live near and socialize with those smae customers. Wal-mart is not known for its outstanding customer service.

The profits from local businesses are spent in Powhatan. The profits from Wal-mart are spent in Arkansas. Those tax dollars that will flow in aren’t quite as large once you take into consideration the taxes lost from smaller businesses closing down. Then when you factor in the costs associated with more policing, trash disposal, accidents, wear & tear on roads, crime, and litter, the net effect is never going to support the county like it may appear from the outset. Finally, what happens if they ever move out? Tax revenues plummet and we’re left with an untenantable and huge empty building.

There is a Wal-mart 9 miles from the proposed site in Powhatan. If you like shopping there, you can drive 10 more minutes down the road.

Just know that once you start down the path to letting in chains and big box stores, you can never go back. We will become Midlothian or Short Pump. Is that what we really want here?