Nice to see the rich are still incredIbly cheap.

Atleast he is humble, all my friends shop at WholeFood as if they are all millionaires....

I sure hope his knee heals and he can play for the Blazers, he seems like such a nice genuine guy as Mary Jane says, it would be great to have him as a role model for the kids if his down to earth outlook continues.

Most wealthy people are frugal. That's how most wealthy people - the ones you don't read about in the paper until they surprise everyone and leave millions to their university - got wealthy. "Spend less than you make." It's not that tough a concept.

Unless you're a politician.

J Fairplay,
That would seem to hold more true for the typically scrappy, up-by-the bootstraps rich folks. A little less so for a genetically gifted 19-year-old. Spending less than you make would not seem to rule out Best Buy for Greg Oden.

And I should mention, if Mr. Oden wants a really nice house near a Wal-Mart, there's always East Vancouver. He can spend a million, or more, and still be within a 2 minute drive of Mr. Walton's Palace.

Nice to see the rich are still incredIbly cheap.

Yeah, cuz everybody knows once you start making good money you have to spend it like the city of Portland...

Sounds like Oden won't be contributing to Sam "just say no to Wal-Mart" Adam's mayoral campaign.

"Sounds like Oden won't be contributing to Sam "just say no to Wal-Mart" Adam's mayoral campaign."

Who would?

Tom Moyer's secretary.

Looks like Mr. Oden has bought the line that Wal-Mart is actually cheaper than everyone else. It's a well-crafted illusion and Sam Walton would be pleased to know the suckers still fall for it.

I dunno, judging from his public persona, I took that statement to be a little tongue-in-cheek.

Remember, the guy took the MAX to his first press conference.

Charles Barkley McLovin! How can you not love this guy. Just hope he can play someday.

I'm assuming he's got some big box-sized mansion on the Westside:

Wal-Mart Store #2552
4200 Southeast 82Nd Avenue

Wal-Mart Store #5440
10000 Southeast 82Nd Ave.

Wal-Mart Supercenter Store #2927
23500 N.E. Sandy Blvd

Yes, Sammy Boy doesn't believe in WalMart and big boxes, but just slip him some cash and we've now got three major big boxes in Cascade Station, what was to be our premier transit-oriented urban renewal district with big boxes outlawed. That's Planning.

Nothing wrong with Mr. Oden being on the frugal side. Maybe he's smart enough to realize that hundreds of former NBA players hit bottom financially a few years after their playing days are done. Nothing like hanging onto his money, given his knee issues.

I hear the same thing from many of my more affluent (upper middle class in most cases) customers who have recently relocated to PDX. "Where's the Wal Mart?" I then casually and politely explain local politics and the general almost militant anti-Wal Mart sentiment present here, which most seem to find kinda silly.

Of course the affluent upper middle class find anti-Walmart sentiment silly. They don't shop there and more importantly they don't have to work there.

Greg C

I thought you had to be missing at least one visible tooth in order to shop at WalMart.

Wal Mart is great for cheap disposable crap merchandise, and cheap food for hordes of devolving proles, that's about it.

When I hear of people buying important things like metal hand tools there, I laugh and laugh. See, when you buy something poorly made, usually by near-slave labor in some Communist dung-hole, it tends not to last very long.

That's the scam. You have to go back and replace something over and over again, like a wrench, that is made out of cheap, butter-soft metal, and wind up spending more money in the long run than if you had bought something properly made to begin with.

My tools are all stamped "Craftsman" or "Made in America." The ones I find in pawnshops that were built before I was born look like they will outlive me.

Nothing wrong with Mr. Oden being on the frugal side.

I ran into Oden outside a Petsmart. The wheels he's driving are most certainly not frugal...

I'm with Cabbie on spending for quality --and longevity-- versus the illusion of "savings."

cabbie- craftsman tools are no longer made in america.

I agree with Greg on this one, there isn't a WalMart over on the west side and that is a big of a bummer. Closest one is Woodburn if you live in Tualatin, Beaverton, Lake O area. (which is where I assume Greg lives). Some aholes in Beaverton fought the Walmart up there so lots of people now have to drive a longer distance to buy stuff.

And plenty of wealthy people shop at WalMart. And lots of poor people shop at Nordy's. I know some multi-millionares that shop at WalMart. On the flip side, I once had a gal who worked for me that made $30K a year who shopped extensively at Nordy's. She also had credit card debt of $40K and eventually declared bankruptcy.

cabbie- craftsman tools are no longer made in america.

Like I said, the older the better. This goes double for power tools, but there is acceptable foreign stuff out there if you discriminate. Most of the Craftsman hand tools I referenced are still made here, but the Sears "Companion" budget line is not.

Some "Snap-On" freaks endlessly debate the "Craftsman" loyalists on mechanic's BBSes to this day, but last time I checked "Craftsman" hand tools still carry the no-questions-asked lifetime guarantee, and you don't have to wait for the truck.

A room-mate jested the other day that perhaps the last remaining factory in America might one day be the crumbling, ancient Sears Tower, with a giant neon wrench on the top.

The wealthy prefer Costco and Target. That said, I know several millionaires who shop Wal-Mart once or twice a month.

I avoid buying products made in China, but when you're shopping for children's clothes and toys, that is hard to do.

I am still amazed with the Ikea GOOD, Wal-Mart BAD paradox. Sweden and China are both Socialists, and (at least) half of Ikea's crap is made in China and/or other third world nations.