I think it is important that in all cases we judge, as a community, the businesses that are allowed to operate in our towns and cities. I don't beleive that Wal-mart is a good corporate citizen. I believe their human rights record is attrocious and that they don't value their employees and suppliers at all. I wouldn't shop there at any price, but then again I can afford that decision, unlike their own employees. Having said that, this is the United States of America, the greatest capitalist machine in the history of the world and Wal-Mart has developed a winning formula for delivering their product. Millions of Americans do shop at Wal-Mart. I think that if you really hate Wal-Mart write your congressman for a hike in the minimum wage, tougher import tariffs, support for labor unions, etc. I'd like to see Wal-Mart make Billions in profits with a unionized work force.

I would like to know who is finacially backing the ourlancasterfirst organization. It would appear that there is a lot of influence coming from the Leominster area, more specifically the mayor, City Council and even some of the legal assistance. Would make sense if we find that Leomonster is putting the spin on this arguement so that Commerce will not impact Leominster. We in Lancaster need more Commerce and Walmart is going to bring more positive than negative effects to our town. The location is ideal and I can only hope that this area expands as much as the area across Route 2 has, by the Leominster Planning Board. The MAJORITY will vote and it is time for the minority to listen.

Not everyone can afford to buy "organic" -- it is a fact that stores such as "Living Earth" and "Roots" are expensive. I too make a trip to Whole Foods Market once a month, but could never afford to shop there every week. FYI: Wal Mart has just started stocking the shelves with their own line of organic. I will be there when it opens!

Oh all of you get real - there is nothing wrong with Wal-Mart. You need to worry about more important issues - like drugs, and gang related activities going on right under your nose. You think your kids in school don't see it everyday? ask them.....

DOWN with over priced mom and pop operations. Hooorray for Wal-Mart and IKEA (are we getting one?) I can only dream.

And whether or not you want to admit it, when it comes to town, YOU'LL SHOP THERE TOO! Are you trying to tell me that if you have a Wal-Mart in your backyard and you needed a roll of paper towels, that you'd drive across town and pay double the cost just to spite Wal-Mart??

Yes. Heck, yes. For instance, for groceries, I buy organic, paying extra for small business products when I can. I drive 2 miles past Shaw's to Roots. If Roots doesn't have what I want? I drive to Worcester to Living Earth. If they don't have what I want? I go to Harvest Co-op in Cambridge! I will never walk into WalMart, and haven't spent money in one in ten years.

Wal-mart does discrimate. I will NOT drive across town to save $0.25 on gas....but when it comes to paper towels and similar items-- I will avoid Wal-mart.
Even though I commute into Boston daily, I spend more on household staples than I do gas.....I don't save a dime by shopping Walmart.

The 4 (or is it 5?) members of the Walton family are all among the top 10 richest Americans and top 20 richest people in the WORLD.
They don't need my business. They are rich enough.

Would I drive across town to buy toilett paper just to spite Walmart?? YES!!!

If Target or Shaws will sell me the same package of toilette paper for $0.50 more, I'll buy it from them... and I DO-- and so do all my friends.

Anonymous-- have you ever read the novel (non-fiction) "Nickled and Dimed" ? by Barbara Ehrenreich?? I will GIVE you my copy of the book, if you wish to read it.
After reading it, you will never again shop at Walmart or stores like it. (If you want to read the book, let me know here and we will find a way to e-mail/meet each other so I can give/mail the book to you.)

Personally, I think the local area will flourish more if a store like Nordstroms moved into town... they pay more, so more people in the lower-wage/under-educated/retail class would be making more $$...And because their product cost more, the town would get more tax dollars.... I'd be able to shop locally and find clothing to fit my profession, and my sales tax would go to Leom instead of natick or Boston.....

The way to failure is to settle for what you have and know... I fear that Leominster is "settling" for what they have, instead of striving for more.

The local paper didn't publish it, but the Leominster/Fitchburg area was recently named as the 9th CHEAPEST place in the USA to live....

(cheaper than places in Arkansas and Mississippi-- I mean, by golly!!!!!!)

9th cheapest in the USA....I'm not proud of that. I'm embarassed by it. We can change that, or we can keep the status quo..... your pick.

I'm so sick of you all b**ching and moaning about Wal-Mart!! Your quality of life will not be diminished, you will NOT get run over by a car if you try to cross your street (unless you don't look both ways first!), and if the local independent stores are ANY GOOD TO BEGIN WITH - they will not go out of business! Whine Whine Whine! For crying out loud! Find something else to complain and gripe about. It's a store - NOT A NUCLEAR TEST FACILITY! And whether or not you want to admit it, when it comes to town, YOU'LL SHOP THERE TOO! Are you trying to tell me that if you have a Wal-Mart in your backyard and you needed a roll of paper towels, that you'd drive across town and pay double the cost just to spite Wal-Mart?? I certainly doubt it! If Wal-Mart treats their employees so terribly, they can QUIT! The beautiful thing about this country is that nobody can tell you that you HAVE to stay employed with a particular employer. Those who moan and groan about the working conditions have never actually worked there...so ZIP IT! You're not standing up for the 'little people' by protesting Wal-Mart. You're sticking up for your own selfish reasons. Get over yourselves and allow our communities to develop and flourish. If you don't like it...move to the boondocks!

Hey robert r....

don't do a blanket knock down of big stores!!!

I don't know much about barnes and Noble ('cept I love to shop them, even if the local store is super TINY compared to most B&N stores...)
But places like Ikea let those of us "new families" (25 to 40 yr olds) buy decent stuff at good prices. I wish I could afford Scandinavia Designs... but I can't. Till then, IKEA does me just fine! The quality far surpasses Walmart or Target and Sears, but at half the price. And because they are classic designs, they last the test of time. My PC desk is 15 yrs old....but they still sell a similar (although made out of partical board) design at Walmart RIGHT NOW.

I did notice a little independant used book store recently, on Summer Street...right in the same plaza as Subway.....They are out there, and if you want to use them, you just need to take 5 min to find them

The good independant places will stand the test of time on their own accord....
the rest will perish.
its commerace...its what makes us American.

anywhere else in the USA, Target is the more popular of the two super-discount stores.

I've lived in quite a few placecs, and as soon as a Target comes to town, the local WalMart becomes nothing more than a warehouse selling goods out of boxes.....and catering to non-english speakers.

Target is the way to go....

LOL-- even Hollywood is finally following us mass-market people!! Target has a spin-off called "Targe't" (the ' is supposed to be a french accente guer (sp?) )

Walmart was busted a couple yrs back for an internal memo telling all managers NOT to hire anyone with a disability or anything that might cost insurance more than normal.....(watch the Walmart Documentary if you doubt me)
I will NOT shop at any store that will not hire someone because of a simple disability (since it would cost Walmart more in health insurance... heaven forbid the world's richest people pay a few bucks more for health care for their employees!!!!!!)

I'd rather pay the extra $0.50 at target than shop at discriminating Walmart.

Who needs another freaking Wal-Mart anywhere? Maybe someone ought to consider helping out the little stores that aren't owned by evil, wealthy creeps who take advantage of not only their own employees but use companies that abuse employees both within and outside the US.

Why aren't there any independent bookstores in Leominster? Because there's a Barnes and Noble. Want to see little stores go away in Lancaster, Leominster, and other surrounding towns? Bring in a Wal-Mart. It's bad enough that there's a mall and a Home Despot (gosh! I wonder why I can't find any independent hardware stores except Aubuchon in the area?).

If you're going to go ahead and bring in something huge to bollix up the traffic, try to woo in another IKEA! Might as well get something GOOD out of a big store. And IKEA's management does include, apparently, decent human beings.

If people stopped shopping at the "big box" stores then they wouls stop building them

The folks that are opposed to the WALMARTS proposed for Lancaster say that, among other things, they are upset with the way that WALMARTS treats their employees. I would ask them to take a look at the label on their shirt or slacks or jacket and tell me where that article of
clothing was made. Was it China or Korea or maybe some country in Africa? Do you approve of the way those countries treat their 10 or 12 year old employees? Don't be hypocrites. There are many people in this area that are trying to live on fixed or low (redundant) incomes. If we can buy a jacket at WALMARTS for $50.00 but the same jacket will cost us $75.00 at Sears and Roebucks where would you suggest we buy the jacket. Leominster officials were beaten into submision by those that yelled the loudest. Let's hope that the town fathers in Lancaster have more backbone.

Well, what is really annoying is that at EVERY exit from leominster there is a big box store, there is not ONE way to get to Fitchburg without sitting in lines of traffic, MORE STORES, MORE TRAFFIC, it is really out of hand.

No need for WalMart in Lancaster...Lunenburg's is enough. I personally would much rather shop at Target than WalMart so it really doesn't effect me either way. I just don't understand the point of having two of the same giant store just towns away. Pretty soon there will be a McDonald's and a Dunkin Donuts on EVERY street corner!

What's the need???

Isn't there enough commerical industry in the area as it is? Last time I checked there was a Wal-Mart right up the street in Lunenburg...Either people are EXTREMELY worried about the high prices of gas or they're just plain - oh I don't know what a good word is...LAZY!

I don't think there's any need to have a major superstore in every single surrounding town, now things are just getting out of control.

A new Walmart might actually help Target and the other stores across the highway. I think it would be great.

I think a great deal of people would benefit from a Walmart Supercenter in Lancaster. It would be so much easier to get all of your shopping done in one stop at reasonable prices. It would also create a large number of jobs. Walmart in Lancaster is a good thing.

I think the question is...is there a market for Walmart in that area of town? If you head up to Target at ANY time of day any part of the season the place is a ghost town compared to Walmart...the cashiers are all standing around reading out of boredom and lack of customers. Say hello to Walmart say Bye bye Target. Also drive past Bed Bath and Beyond, there are maximum 5 cars out front, and who knows if those are even the employees. There are only so many big box stores you can have.