We haven’t been to Wal-Mart in a month. I’ve blogged about it before, but I just don’t like Wal-Mart. I try to avoid it, even though it’s hard in a small town where Wal-Mart is the largest and cheapest store. We usually drive to the next town over to shop, about seven miles without much traffic but a few traffic lights. Anyhow, even avoiding it, Wal-Mart is still on the tip of my tongue and the front of my mind. When Kate pushes her shopping cart around the house, she is always “going to Wal-mart!” When I recommend my favorite homeopathic teething remedy, I tell where they usually shelve it at Wal-Mart.
On a related note, I would like to confess publicly that I like Starbucks. I really like independent coffee shops as well, but Starbucks is the closest coffee shop to me and they have above average hot chocolate and decaf drinks. Due to the kindness of my marvelous husband, I go to Starbucks almost every Monday evening, get something to drink and read for a few hours. Over the course of the last free months, I’ve come to know several of the employees and we chit-chat about life and books. I am always surprised that they remember my name and story and was tickled when they made me an extra drink “on the hiz-ouse” this week and gave me a Bearista for Kate.  Some empires, not so evil.
I’m with you. No Walmart, Yes Starbucks. I suppose it’s easier for me to stick to my no-Walmart guns here, as the closest Walmart is a good 30 min. drive through traffic. But I wasn’t much of a fan when we lived in Michigan, either.
So nice of the Starbucks barristas to give you nice things! I guess I need to drink coffee “out” more often.
okay, just getting ready to publish a post about Walmart!! and was just thinking about the starbux empire recently–not as evil, I agree. At least they pay relatively fairly and even provide health insurance to *part-time*! workers.
Please weigh in when I post! :)
I totally agree. Walmart is evil. I even sat on the committee that petitioned to keep them from building in our neighborhood. (We were able to get the land protected as a Nature Preserve so they couldn’t build their big, ugly store.) I mean, there are 7 Walmarts within 10 miles of here. Why did we need another?
And Starbucks is glorious! I even love their bottled water.
I’m with you on point one and point two. (Aren’t the bearistas cute)
You know, Walgreens sells Hylands, too. Walgreens is the undiscovered treasure in my book. Love. It.
oooo i was at walmart last night…and target. there’s a starbucks in the target i go to. i really dislike walmart, they have nothing on my favorite greenlife. what if walmart had a starbucks in it?
and when the walmart is filthy, well . . .
we’ve weaned henry from wanting walmart, we’re still working jude. there’s usually money to spend on a treasure at the thrift store, not so at walmart, so henry’s been saying, “i want to go to the thift store!” to which jude screams, “no, WALMART.” he’s young yet.
it’s worth paying a little bit more just to not have to go in there. i just find it annoying to make extra stops. ::shrug::
the walmart we had in illinois wasn’t so bad.
as rule, we don’t shop at walmart. the latest family at our small church is a walmart manager though so i try to be respectful and positive. i am impressed that they are trying to improve their ecological footprint, if they can truely do it without putting their suppliers out of business, or making them have to use chinese suppliers instead of american ones to meet the walmart required price rollback, i may rethink shopping there. however, it’s crowded, dirty and obnoxious, the walmart here, so…
starbucks lost our business just recently because of the working conditions of the ethiopian plantations where they grow the non-fair trade coffee. i personally didn’t chose to not go there, eric did, and since he signed an oxfam petition to not support them, he’s sticking to it. i’m respecting his choice. that, however is extremely easy here in anchorage, because we have FABULOUS local roasters who offer fair trade, organic, shade grown, blah blah blah that is delicious. so, it’s not a problem here.