Your Neighborhood May Be Getting A Walmart For Real This Time

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If you thought living outside of suburbia made you immune to vests, greeters, smiley faces, and rollback prices, there's a chance that could all change.

Though rumors of a Walmart opening in one of New York's boroughs have existed for some time now, a City Council hearing has been set for December 14 to determine and discuss the chain's impact on local business. With Council members having previously spoken out against its arrival, the transition from the Council's opposition to fostering a debate over it makes this the most serious progress we've seen in the store actually coming to town.

Mayor Bloomberg approves of the big box opening, as do Jamaica Bay, Brooklyn residents who drive out of the city to shop at other Walmarts. But, with labor practices in question, worries over the "retail giant [eating] into the market share of unionized grocers" could be the largest issue holding the store back.

One possible location has already received its land-use approval and the megachain is looking into opening shops without Council approval, but if we've learned anything from adolescence, it's that not getting approval from the higher-ups and going ahead and doing isn't always the best idea. Though, we also didn't sell bargain basement-priced DVDs in our childhood, so we're not sure if parental rules apply.
· City Council to debate idea of Walmart in NYC [Crain's NY]
· Storecasting: Walmart Divides Shoppers and Workers in Brooklyn [Racked NY]