[jcmanson]

I'm sorry I don't think Target will ever fade like that. They have already got a strong hold on their niche market, and are only gaining in strength. Wal-Mart can do nothing but go down. I don't expect them to, but they aren't going to take any more share away from Target. The only thing that can happen is Target to take some of Wal-Mart's pie share.

[Rocketfan]

Honestly, Walmart USED TO BE cheaper but for the items I buy with the exception of body lotion (you know brotha's get ashy...If you don't know what that is, you don't have a ghetto card). I hate how stores now charge you more for buying in bulk. Has anyone noticed this? Everyone assumes that if you get the bigger product that you will save money. Not true most of the time these days. If you take the time to do the math as MRS SCAR Always does, you will see that the bigger items are more per unit a lot of the times. Perception vs Reality. Walmart has created the perception of being cheaper but in recent un-scientific studies on various news reports, there is very little difference overall and Target has some stuff cheaper and Walmart has some stuff cheaper.

While i agree with this about Target vs. Walmart, i have done the math before as well and Sams Club ( which i am pretty sure is owned by Walmart) is cheaper when you buy things in bulk. So they have a designated store for bulk items so i can understand why they wouldn't really make it cheaper to buy the bigger product.

[4everfsu]

I go with Walmart, besides near Target is next town over. I also cannot remember if Target will not let the Salvation Army in front of their story during Christmas. I could have the wrong store. Also I think Walmart is going back to Merry Christmas themes this year versus Happy Holiday. Again I could be wrong.

[PAmedic]

Thanks Medic for starting this thread. As I said in the other thread I am a Target guy. Yes I remember Jamesway and Ames too. I don't like Walmart because it is always congested, the clientel is not as upscale (I am a snob too Medic) and the rows are always cluttered with extra junk at Walmart. Plus their stores are a little too big sometimes. I like Kohls too but I don't know if it is in the same category as Walmart/Target. I see it as more of a true department store like Strawbridges, JC Penny's, Macy's, Hudson's etc.

First Jamesway jumped off the page at me, haven't heard that name mentioned in quite sometime.

we pretty much lived at Jamesway when I was a kid

that and at Sears for those Winner II sneaks and Toughskin jeans.

[Fumblerooskies]

Target will not allow the bell ringers, but instead, are donating a sizable amount to the Salvation Army.

[JDUB]

walmart. i know where everything is there, and they have more stuff. also, they say merry christmas.
i get a lot of gift cards to there, so i'm biased

[jcmanson]

they say merry christmas at target as well. I know there was a big debate last year about that, but I made it a point to tell everyone I came across while working Merry Christmas

[El Scorcho]

Target for some things, Wal-Mart for others.

Until Lynchburg gets a SuperTarget, I'll probably be seeing Wal-Mart more often. They're certainly cheaper than Kroger for groceries, even if they do annoy me with that receipt checking crap on the way out the door. (Which I now ignore and bypass.)

[TIMSCAR20]

I have to say that the Walmart in Bedford is far more tolerable than the one in Lynchburg. Bedford is a little bit of a drive but I can't stand the Lynchburg Walmart. I would even go to Madison Heights as well. The Parking lots at Walmart drive me crazy. Shopping carts everywhere, people taking up 2 parking spaces, people walking in front of your car for 5 minutes when they could just walk 2 feet to the left or right and let cars pass. I just don't like the Walmart experience. If Target is comparable or even higher priced, to me the convenience and customer service is worth it. I am also the guy that has to have grey poupon at the tailgate so maybe I am spoiled (Joking).

[Rocketfan]

I have to say that the Walmart in Bedford is far more tolerable than the one in Lynchburg. Bedford is a little bit of a drive but I can't stand the Lynchburg Walmart. I would even go to Madison Heights as well. The Parking lots at Walmart drive me crazy. Shopping carts everywhere, people taking up 2 parking spaces, people walking in front of your car for 5 minutes when they could just walk 2 feet to the left or right and let cars pass. I just don't like the Walmart experience. If Target is comparable or even higher priced, to me the convenience and customer service is worth it. I am also the guy that has to have grey poupon at the tailgate so maybe I am spoiled (Joking).

Funny i was going to mention Bedford....My wife and i have a deal, if she wants to go to Bedford Walmart ill consider tagging along, if its Lynchburg she doesn't even bother asking! And i also agree about the SuperTarget post as well.

[El Scorcho]

My wife and I used to go out to the Bedford Wal-Mart to skip Lynchburg as well. That was when we lived in Forest. Now it just doesn't make much sense.

Lucky for us, I can go at 3am and bypass the crowds, parking, etc. Makes life much easier.

[A.G.]

So, what's everyone's impressions on the job Coach Dunton has done thus far this season??

[Rocketfan]

So, what's everyone's impressions on the job Coach Dunton has done thus far this season??

ok i laughed outloud and now everyone is looking at me....i honestly have tears in my eyes......the one thread i thought was "Dunton Proof". You guys crack me up.

[FlamingYalieWahoo]

Apparently the Walmart Corporation decided to punish the Charlottesville area for not allowing them to build a Super Walmart. Its actually in the county - but the Walmart here is the nastiest, smelliest, most cramped Walmart I have ever been in and until recently there was no Target. In fact due to the tight spaces I almost ended up in jail because one ASSociate kept making me move so he could move pallets around while I was trying to buy a simple pack of resume paper at 9:30 PM. After the third time of being forced to move and then some snide comments - Its a long story but let's just say that apparently I used a "threatening" tone (I was just being my sweet self and calling him on his smart aleck comments) and all heck broke loose - which ended up involving 3 more ASSociates (who weren't involved initially) and 6 managers! It was a rather lengthy prayer meeting which ended with an apology from the manger after I called corporate headquarters to complain a few days later. I had a great deal of fun. So guess which store I prefer?

[LUconn]

Sounds like you should have made a call to OSHA instead about the pallets lying around (it's a big no no)

[FlamingYalieWahoo]

See LUconn that's just it - the store is so small that they ALWAYS have new shipments of goods on pallets all over the store. In fact there are times that you can't get to certain items because there are aisles full of stuff on pallets waiting to be shelved. I'm really surprised that the fire marshall let's them get away with it in that its the only Walmart on certain days and nights (Friday and Saturday especially) its very, very crowded and you have these guys pulling pallet carts with loaded pallets all over the store and almost running into people - along with pallets full of goods parked all over the place. Its a freakn' zoo on some days - I'm really surprised that no customers have been injured by some of these pallet cart drivers because they zip around like they're the only people in the place. I do like Walmart for some things but this particular one is a nightmare.

[FlamingYalieWahoo]

This quote from jcmanson's earlier post made me remember something funny I read at Walmart while waiting at the customer service/returns area

She is the head of the pricing team there, and she has a group of employees who constantly go to wal-mart and other stores, to make sure that Target has the same price if not better.

On a big sign - in big lettering it says something to the effect that Walmart reserves the right to remove any person from their store who is doing the practice mentioned in the quote. I laughed because according to his A&E biography that's exactly what Sam Walton himself used to do to his local Kmart in order to beat their prices. Speaking of Kmart does anyone bother with them anymore? And does anybody remember Zayres - we had one in Burlington, NC.

[Sly Fox]

Kmart left Texas during their reorganization a few years back.

Speaking of old school stores, do they still have Meijers up north? What about Biggs?

[jmdickens]

I am a small business kinda guy...I hate corporation like Wal-Mart, K-Mart, and Target. The original creator of Wal-Mart, Sam Walton did not intend for it to be this way...He took care of his customers, insurance, retirement, and paid alot better. If I had to pick one it would be Target because workers there don't try to have conversations with you while you're checking out..

[PAmedic]

If I had to pick one it would be Target because workers there don't try to have conversations with you while you're checking out..

excellent point jm

man, I HATE that. I know I'm an arrogant Yankee, but if I want to have a conversation, I'll talk to YOU.

that drives me nuts.

[El Scorcho]

Hmm. I don't mind talking to people. Just part of being human, to me.

I do mind the receipt/bag check, however. Any place that requests to see your receipt and what's in your bag on the way out the door is asking to be told "No!". What's in MY bag is MY property that I just paid for. If you want to accuse me of shoplifting then call the cops, detain me and let's get it on. Otherwise, you can leave me alone and stop asking to do an illegal search. Grrrrr.

[PAmedic]

a little testy, are we ?

and I never said I was human

just an arrogant Yankee whose mommy told him never to talk to strangers

[LUconn]

Kmart is the worst. If Walmart is for the low class, Kmart is like for the bottom of the barrel. And it's not even any cheaper. It's just a horrible horrible place. The last time I was in there, my wife was looking for some socks, and I was looking around and noticed a "security" camera in the clothes section that was like a JVC VHS camera from 1985 duct taped to a wooden poll and pointing at a pile of sweatshirts. I don't know what they've got going on there. And no matter how many people are ready to check out, there is always just one line open, yet there are 20 lanes. They just recently got rid of the automatic doors that go off of the big sensor mats that you step on that were so popular in the 80s.

[bigsmooth]

k-mart...ohh man what a dump!!!

[jcmanson]

Wahoo... funny you should say something about Wal-Mart saying they can throw any one out if they are checking their prices. When I was working at the Target in Lynchburg, one of my friends from class worked at Wal-Mart. One day, I saw him in Target while I was working. I snuck up on him, and he had a little scanner scanning our prices. I said man, I'm going to have to kick you out of here! Anyways, Wal-mart, kmart, target, etc. are all guilty of doing this. It's how they stay so competitive.