Top 5 stores (retail, grocery or otherwise) you wish we had in OKC

[Stew]

These QT debates always crack me up.

The only store that comes to mind I'd really like to see hit the metro is Costco.

[Buffalo Bill]

These QT debates always crack me up.

The only store that comes to mind I'd really like to see hit the metro is Costco.

ooh, but we have Sam's....

[bchris02]

ooh, but we have Sam's....

Costco is to Sam's what Target is to Wal-Mart. I personally don't want to give the Waltons any more of my money than I absolutely have to.

[bradh]

Forgot another one....Top Golf

[Pete]

We have both Sam's and Costco out here in Cali and most people strongly prefer Costco, and not only due to anti-WM sentiment.

First of all, they carry a ton of their own privately branded (Kirkland) products, and they are generally fantastic and extremely reasonable. Most of what I buy there is Kirkland brand.

Secondly, the stores are just brighter, better merchandised and nicer to shop.

And finally, they pay and train their employees well and as a result all you see are smiley, pleasant people and it really makes a difference.


I have a Sam's Club membership because I've bought a few things that Costco didn't have, like a particular arbor I wanted for my front yard. But as similar as they may seem to Costco, the whole experience is completely different.

I absolutely love Costco and completely avoid Sam's Club unless I have no other choice.

[bradh]

Costco was the big stop for alcohol when I was in Arizona.

[bluedogok]

Costco is to Sam's what Target is to Wal-Mart. I personally don't want to give the Waltons any more of my money than I absolutely have to.

The Walton's really don't have anything to do with Walmart anymore, anything more than owning some stock and not near as much as they used to. Walmart has been taken over by the east coast MBA types and they run it that way.

We have both Sam's and Costco memberships, we go to both pretty much equally, went to Costco tonight to try and get a tire replaced. There are items that we buy at one that the other doesn't have so in many products there isn't as much overlap for us, of course there is some for general household items. I go to Sam's way more than I do Walmart, I will go to Target before Walmart usually mainly because I just don't like the Walmart Supercenters.

[Buffalo Bill]

ooh, but we have Sam's....

Perhaps my sarcasm was lost, what with the QT - 7-11 debate.

Costco would be nice.

[bchris02]

The Walton's really don't have anything to do with Walmart anymore, anything more than owning some stock and not near as much as they used to. Walmart has been taken over by the east coast MBA types and they run it that way.

We have both Sam's and Costco memberships, we go to both pretty much equally, went to Costco tonight to try and get a tire replaced. There are items that we buy at one that the other doesn't have so in many products there isn't as much overlap for us, of course there is some for general household items. I go to Sam's way more than I do Walmart, I will go to Target before Walmart usually mainly because I just don't like the Walmart Supercenters.

Yeah I was aware the Walton's didn't have much to do with it anymore. In fact, I imagine Sam Walton would be very disappointed in how the company is being run today if he were still alive. I simply used that as a figure of speech. Sometimes I can't avoid Wal-Mart but I will spend the extra buck or drive an extra few miles to shop elsewhere if possible. Like many, I detest the Supercenters. The Neighborhood Markets aren't bad for quick grocery shopping but shopping in them feeds Wal-Mart's dominance so I try to avoid them as well. Plus any Wal-Mart is always very understaffed, be it a Supercenter or Neighborhood Market, so no matter what time of day you go, there are always long lines.

[Geographer]

Kroger
CONTAINER STORE
Lacoste (I stock up everytime I travel to San Diego haha)

[Shake2005]

The Walton's really don't have anything to do with Walmart anymore, anything more than owning some stock and not near as much as they used to. Walmart has been taken over by the east coast MBA types and they run it that way.

We have both Sam's and Costco memberships, we go to both pretty much equally, went to Costco tonight to try and get a tire replaced. There are items that we buy at one that the other doesn't have so in many products there isn't as much overlap for us, of course there is some for general household items. I go to Sam's way more than I do Walmart, I will go to Target before Walmart usually mainly because I just don't like the Walmart Supercenters.

No, nothing to do with the company other than owning 48% of the stock and one of the son’s being chairman.

[ctchandler]

Shake2005,
And along with Rob Walton, the youngest son of Sam Walton, board member Jim Walton.
C. T.

No, nothing to do with the company other than owning 48% of the stock and one of the son’s being chairman.

[Just the facts]

Interesting...

Wal-Mart says it will pull out of D.C. plans should city mandate ?living wage? - The Washington Post

The world’s largest retailer delivered an ultimatum to District lawmakers Tuesday, telling them less than 24 hours before a decisive vote that at least three planned Wal-Marts will not open in the city if a super-minimum-wage proposal becomes law.

...

The D.C. Council bill would require retailers with corporate sales of $1 billion or more and operating in spaces 75,000 square feet or larger to pay their employees no less than $12.50 an hour. The city’s minimum wage is $8.25.

...

Alex Barron, a regional general manager for Wal-Mart U.S., wrote in a Washington Post op-ed piece that the proposed wage requirement “would clearly inject unforeseen costs into the equation that will create an uneven playing field and challenge the fiscal health of our planned D.C. stores.”

So that is about $875,000 more in wages (assuming everyone makes minimum wage now) for a store that routinely post $100 million of revenue. Wal-mart must really hate to pay $12.50 an hour to turn down $300 million in sales over it. Maybe OKC should look into this type of law. With 30 Walmarts in the Metro that would be some serious economic development potential. What would Walmart do - move out of Oklahoma?

[GoThunder]

Forgot another one....Top Golf

With two in the Dallas area, I doubt this would happen. But man, would it make me happy.

[Plutonic Panda]

Interesting...

Wal-Mart says it will pull out of D.C. plans should city mandate ?living wage? - The Washington Post



So that is about $875,000 more in wages (assuming everyone makes minimum wage now) for a store that routinely post $100 million of revenue. Wal-mart must really hate to pay $12.50 an hour to turn down $300 million in sales over it. Maybe OKC should look into this type of law. With 30 Walmarts in the Metro that would be some serious economic development potential. What would Walmart do - move out of Oklahoma?

I agree with you!!!!!!!!!

[bchris02]

Interesting...

Wal-Mart says it will pull out of D.C. plans should city mandate ?living wage? - The Washington Post



So that is about $875,000 more in wages (assuming everyone makes minimum wage now) for a store that routinely post $100 million of revenue. Wal-mart must really hate to pay $12.50 an hour to turn down $300 million in sales over it. Maybe OKC should look into this type of law. With 30 Walmarts in the Metro that would be some serious economic development potential. What would Walmart do - move out of Oklahoma?

I highly doubt OKC would ever consider such a move and am not sure if it would be a good idea. I would like to see a dent put in Wal-Mart's dominance as much as the next guy but I am not sure that is the way to do it. Anyways this is unprecedented for Wal-Mart to consider pulling out of a market. I don't think I've ever heard of a Wal-Mart even closing unless it was to make way for a larger store. Even with a law like this in OKC, I highly doubt Wal-Mart would consider giving up one of its top markets.

[bhawes]

I highly doubt OKC would ever consider such a move and am not sure if it would be a good idea. I would like to see a dent put in Wal-Mart's dominance as much as the next guy but I am not sure that is the way to do it. Anyways this is unprecedented for Wal-Mart to consider pulling out of a market. I don't think I've ever heard of a Wal-Mart even closing unless it was to make way for a larger store. Even with a law like this in OKC, I highly doubt Wal-Mart would consider giving up one of its top markets.

Oklahoma would never do it republican states are in favor of business and democratic states try to look out for the people.

[bradh]

Oklahoma would never do it republican states are in favor of business and democratic states try to look out for the people.

And that's not always a bad thing. Would you rather live in Michigan these days?

[bhawes]

And that's not always a bad thing. Would you rather live in Michigan these days?

Although Michigan is a democratic state but a republican governor is calling shots and its against the people and for the big companies.

[bradh]

Maybe being for big companies might drag their economy out of the crapper. Maybe years of democratic leadership led to their demise? You're making a pretty generic accusation.

Sorry to thread jack guys

[bluedogok]

No, nothing to do with the company other than owning 48% of the stock and one of the son’s being chairman.

You can own a lot of stock and not run things, unlike how the corporate raiders act. The Walton family doesn't care about the day to day business of Walmart as long as it is making them money, they aren't calling any shots there unless their cash machine breaks, even the figurehead chairman. None of them has been involved with the running of Walmart like Sam was, in the office or stores almost everyday. They leave that up to the "professionals" which is probably the smartest thing for them to do if they don't have the passion for the business like Sam did, the rest of the family has pretty much just been along for the ride which has gone pretty well for them.

[venture]

And that's not always a bad thing. Would you rather live in Michigan these days?

There is nothing wrong in Michigan once you get out of the city of Detroit, which is relatively small when compared to the rest of the Metro area there. Plus you still get 10 cents for the bottles/cans you turn back in. Which works out great when you buy them in Ohio or Indiana and turn them in across the boarder.

As far as living wages...it is hard to say how to handle them. It is interesting to show how wages rarely increase to cover the increasing cost of living. The plethora of call centers in Oklahoma still pay the same starting of $8-10/hr that they did 15 years ago. When I got my first job I was making $10/hr back in the late 90s. Today that would mean, if adjusted for inflation and such, I would be starting out at almost $14/hr. However, you'll still find the same job being posted for $10/hr starting.

If your own employees have difficulties in buying products that they sell every day, something is probably wrong.

Regardless back to topic. Walmart's dominance here is going to make it really tough for anyone to come in and get any quality market share. As discussed about the only option is for someone like Kroger to come in and buy Homeland.

[Soonerman]

There is nothing wrong in Michigan once you get out of the city of Detroit, which is relatively small when compared to the rest of the Metro area there. Plus you still get 10 cents for the bottles/cans you turn back in. Which works out great when you buy them in Ohio or Indiana and turn them in across the boarder.

As far as living wages...it is hard to say how to handle them. It is interesting to show how wages rarely increase to cover the increasing cost of living. The plethora of call centers in Oklahoma still pay the same starting of $8-10/hr that they did 15 years ago. When I got my first job I was making $10/hr back in the late 90s. Today that would mean, if adjusted for inflation and such, I would be starting out at almost $14/hr. However, you'll still find the same job being posted for $10/hr starting.

If your own employees have difficulties in buying products that they sell every day, something is probably wrong.

Regardless back to topic. Walmart's dominance here is going to make it really tough for anyone to come in and get any quality market share. As discussed about the only option is for someone like Kroger to come in and buy Homeland.

Updating the liquor laws would help when it comes to getting good grocery stores too.

[bchris02]

Updating the liquor laws would help when it comes to getting good grocery stores too.

I think that would help us get specialty chains moreso than a good national grocery chain. It also may give existing chains like Crest and Buy 4 Less more of a profit margin which in turn they would build more locations. OKC's grocery problem could be solved entirely with a few more Crest Fresh Markets strategically placed in convenient locations.

[venture]

I think that would help us get specialty chains moreso than a good national grocery chain. It also may give existing chains like Crest and Buy 4 Less more of a profit margin which in turn they would build more locations. OKC's grocery problem could be solved entirely with a few more Crest Fresh Markets strategically placed in convenient locations.

Kroger makes a lot off of their liquor and wine sales, so I would say it would definitely help get them in here. Of course I would also like to see Giant Eagle here, but they are more so regional and not national.