City officials warming to Wal-Mart
The first drawings of the proposed Sellwood Wal-Mart have quietly been circulating around the Portland Planning Bureau, and preliminary rumors are that they're getting a warmer reception than was anticipated. "They've incorporated a lot of the features we like to see," said one City Hall insider. "Maybe there's room for big box if they do it the Portland way."
Reports out of Wal-Mart headquarters in Benton County, Arkansas, are that the retailing giant is willing to make concessions in order to get a toe hold on the lucrative Portland market. An executive at a competing company explained: "They're even thinking of having that little smiley face character come out, if that's what it takes."
Will the kinder, gentler, Wal-Mart strategy sway the Portland powers-that-be? I don't know. Judge for yourself.
| Posted at 11:29 PM | Permalink |
|
Comments (25)
Now that's a ploy for the Best Local Blog if I've ever seen one.
Posted by Kari Chisholm | June 27, 2005 11:38 PM
Does that Wal-Mart sign satisfy the local sign standard?
Posted by Gordie | June 28, 2005 12:49 AM
my smart half just finished the manager training program at said company. If that store goes in, i hope he can transfer to it at some point. At least i'll be able to get the f^^^ out of Kfalls, which is where i have to go in September for his new position. But i'm pretty proud of him for going for the training in the first place. :)
Posted by pril | June 28, 2005 5:42 AM
That thing looks like the Daily Planet office in Gotham City. Can't they at least make it look like a ginormous Victorian warehouse? I mean, it IS Sellwood.
Posted by lisa | June 28, 2005 6:50 AM
Wait a minute....bioswale....little orange toy tram.......weird street art......BOG, ARE YOU MOCKING US AGAIN?
Posted by lisa | June 28, 2005 6:53 AM
Excellant plan.
And all it will take is a few dinners with Maziotti.
Posted by Steve Schopp+ | June 28, 2005 7:42 AM
It's Benton County, Arkansas, Jack, not Texas.
Posted by BobW | June 28, 2005 8:07 AM
Jack,
You missed your calling. You should be working for the Planning Dept.
Posted by Dave Lister | June 28, 2005 8:30 AM
Com'on Jack you got to know the location of wal-mart HQ. It's Mecca for rednecks.
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., Home Office
702 S.W. 8th Street
Bentonville, AR 72716
Posted by TravisB | June 28, 2005 8:31 AM
Dave said,
-----"Jack,You missed your calling. You should be working for the Planning Dept."----
I think one blogger working for the planning department is enough. Right b!X?
Posted by Steve Schopp+ | June 28, 2005 8:40 AM
And Steve Schopp is working part-time for the Home Builder's Association and part-time for the Ayn Rand Institute.
Posted by Gordo | June 28, 2005 9:50 AM
And Steve Schopp is working part-time for the American Asphalt Association and part-time for the Ayn Rand Institute.
Posted by Gordo | June 28, 2005 9:51 AM
Ooops! My drafting knickers are exposed. Once you press "send," an inferior snide remark is memorialized forever!
Posted by Gordo | June 28, 2005 9:57 AM
Thanks for the correction, guys.
Posted by Jack Bog | June 28, 2005 10:57 AM
"Will the kinder, gentler, Wal-Mart strategy sway the Portland powers-that-be?"
I am beginning to think that is not a comment in jest. WalMart has more money than G*d. So what if they say, let us build our store and we'll help push (you can define what that means) southside light rail along SE McLoughlin.
I mean you have to sell to your customers' needs not your wants. I think it would work.
Posted by Steve | June 28, 2005 10:57 AM
Hmmmmm....Interesting possibilities...
Posted by Randy Leonard | June 28, 2005 11:06 AM
Randy,
Maybe you can get them to put in a fountain and a wading pool... get those water revenues up to help out the rest of us.
Posted by Dave Lister | June 28, 2005 11:09 AM
That picture sums up Portland better than anything I've seen lately. If they could fit in some Blazer-sucking-up somehow, it could be the new city seal.
Posted by Scott-in-Japan | June 28, 2005 11:39 AM
I really have to wonder how the people of Portland benefit (do we collectively get smarter, healthier, safer, more prosperous, happier?) by the efforts on the City's part to dictate to Wal-Mart what their store ought to look like to "do it the Portland way".
Posted by BobW | June 28, 2005 11:48 AM
BobW: The benefit is that our city isn't as ugly as it would be with a standard Walmart.
Posted by Gordo | June 28, 2005 12:22 PM
I think one blogger working for the planning department is enough. Right b!X?
Auditioning for a job as thinkbigPDX, Steve?
Posted by The One True b!X | June 28, 2005 12:23 PM
Gordo, aesthetics are nice (though I'm not sure who decided that our elected officials and their subordinates have a better sense of aesthetics than anyone else), but the attention being given to this issue by employees of the city could be given to issues that, at least to me, are way more important (public safety comes to mind). I think if you asked Portland's residents whether they'd rather have three city employees kvetching over what a Wal-mart looks like vs. three cops on the street, the cops would win out in a heartbeat.
Posted by BobW | June 28, 2005 12:32 PM
I think if you asked Portland's residents whether they'd rather have three city employees kvetching over what a Wal-mart looks like vs. three cops on the street, the cops would win out in a heartbeat.
I'm pretty sure we just went through a budget process where Commissioners kvetched over cops on the street.
Posted by The One True b!X | June 28, 2005 12:35 PM
Can the Oregon Health Plan afford another Wal-Mart?
Posted by Kate | June 28, 2005 6:35 PM
"Can the Oregon Health Plan afford another Wal-Mart?"
Dunno, can it afford another one not working at Wal-Mart?
Posted by Steve | June 29, 2005 8:34 AM