Post #121700 by lanikai on Mon, Oct 25, 2004 8:59 PM

Ok, broke a rule of mine which dictates
Don't go to, or anywhere Walmart.
so, sad to say I went to walmart today.

observed:
initally, front entrance rug was trashed. all busup arready.
Dept on left; Hawaiian products and handcrafts.
ok, stuff je'like da kine at Longs.
nothing new here. Same price points.
Aloha shirts; Only one local brand. the rest of the aloha shirts were da fake kine from Thailand. junkalunk designs. (tourists might like 'em.)

Saw some cool lookin bamboo and palm tree motif tableware; plates, bowls etc.. but upon handling them saw they were light cheap plastic. aaagh!
MiniDv camera dept; only had a few models. Not much choice here. mo bettah li dat you go local store. savings? wot, maybe 20 bux per model...

did not notice much at all; any high quality brand name merchandise. This is the evolutionary stage we see wherein as reported on many walmart info web sites:
WM beats the manufacturer's price down til they can not make a profit or stay in business, and when the manuf. can't lower their costs any longer, WM creates a knock off in China (or sometimes India). heck, WM does their own knockoff anyway. The name brands help to pull some customers to the location, and the cheaper WM private label stuff goes home with the customer.

I noticed much China and India origin merchandise.
and the much ballyhooed LLOOOOWWW prices, nah. same as at Longs and Daiei.
(which is a Walmart target; they wanna buy them out.)

Oh wait what's this? "marykate'N'ashley clothing line. A name brand. ok; upon close inspection; looked like a cheap one time use china-made halloween costume quality level piece of cr... clothing...

the Alnshely quote from above: "This new store means that for the first time in central Honolulu, we'll be able to offer customers what they've asked for -- quality merchandise, low prices and Wal-Mart's spirit of aloha."
this is a typical WM spin-doctor/marketing insult to merchants in the area who for years, have offered good quality stuff at good prices. and to add insult to injury, of course, the local merchants are dropping like da cockaroach on da wall hit wit da slippah.

Upon leaving the 4 story parking structure.
Cold design. Tight parking spaces, tight lanes.

People are honking. Hate to see that begin here. Noticed an ocular products and services shop x the street with a going outta business sign.
They been there on Keeaumoku for years.

Just don't like the idea of a huge monolithic mausoleum taking up a whole block in the heart of our Honolulu.
State shoulda created a mini Polynesian Cultural center kine o thing on this block. Or help subsidize a local vendor/maufacturer's shop/village in the old style.

Yes, the state is to blame. They believed the propaganda; Walmart will bring planny jobs to Hawaii. Lotta tax revenue. THAT is all the state cares about. Not the repercussions.