Wal-Mart worries wane
Photo
The Wal-Mart/Sam's Club one year after the doors were open for business.
JANESVILLE — More than a year after Wal-Mart opened a Supercenter and Sam’s Club in Janesville, predictions of traffic tie-ups, nuisances for neighbors and slumping sales for existing businesses haven’t seemed to materialize.
Motorists are moving, and retailers still are selling.
That’s due in part to concerns raised as the project snaked its way through the city’s approval process.
“All of the hullabaloo on the front end called attention to a lot of things, and we were able to address them,” said Brad Cantrell, the city’s community development director.
A few years after what some people say was the planning debacle known as the Pine Tree Plaza, the city waded through concerns over traffic, noise and aesthetics before the Wal-Mart project ultimately was approved.
Since the stores opened in November 2006, Cantrell said he has heard few complaints.
“We have a few drainage and storm water pond issues that we need to tweak, but nothing major,” he said. “There are some reports of trash blowing around, but when you operate a Wal-Mart or a Target or something of that size, you’re going to have some plastic bags floating around. We just work with the stores to have employees pick it up.”
Cantrell said the city’s traffic plan is working well, even exceeding early expectations. Throw in the aesthetics of the project, and Cantrell said city officials are pleased.
“The traffic plan coupled with the building, site plan, landscaping and the wall behind it all turned out very well, and it will set the tone for other developments out there,” he said. “You can really see the contrast between a Wal-Mart/Sam’s project and the Pine Tree development.
“It’s much better.”
Cantrell said because people got involved and voiced their opinions, city staff was ultimately able to give the council new rules and regulations to govern such a project.
“The public concern and the neighborhood input really helped us,” he said. “We were able to hold Wal-Mart’s feet to the fire and get some things that they wouldn’t have done had we not asked.”
Neighborhood concerns
Neighbors interviewed shortly after Wal-Mart’s opening last November said they were mostly pleased with the aesthetics of the project. Some who live behind the huge berm built to buffer neighbors east of the stores said the berm actually cuts noise and lights.
Post-construction traffic continued to be their main concern, primarily on Highway 26.
A particular concern centers on motorists who want to go north on Highway 26 after exiting Interstate 90. They must quickly merge left in order to avoid the right-turn-only lanes heading toward Sam’s Club.
And those turning left at Kettering must cross over three lanes of traffic.
City officials have said they’ll continue to monitor the traffic situation.
The Gazette made several attempts to contact neighborhood residents for this story, but was unsuccessful.
Impact on grocers
Many wondered whether the addition of groceries at both Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club would force one of the city’s existing grocers out of business.
But all five—Woodman’s, Pick ’n Save, Logli Supermarket and the two Sentry stores—are still very much in business.
Ken Riley, general manager of Daniels Sentry on Janesville’s east and west sides, said he’s optimistic with his stores’ sales for November and December, numbers he can compare to a year ago when Wal-Mart and Sam’s first opened.
Typically, new stores will get the “look-see” from customers of other stores. The new Wal-Mart and Sam’s certainly had Sentry customers checking them out.
“We’re starting to see some gains back,” Riley said. “We had a very good Thanksgiving and couple of weeks after that.”
Riley said his wholesalers have been impressed with how well Sentry has stood up to the new competition in town.
Phil Woodman of Woodman’s said his Janesville store lost some customers to Wal-Mart, but his sales have rebounded to pre-Wal-Mart levels.
“People driving from Janesville to Milton stop there because it’s convenient,” he said. “Before, they stopped at Woodman’s or they had nowhere else to go.
“I don’t really see it as a loyalty thing, it’s more a convenience thing.”
Woodman said the new Wal-Mart also took customers away from Wal-Mart’s other Supercenters in Beloit, Delavan and Whitewater.
The Woodman’s store in Janesville recently remodeled, which Woodman said was something the store does every eight years to better address customers’ needs.
“It really didn’t have anything to do with Wal-Mart,” he said. “Janesville was one of our last blue and black stores. There was a time when blue and black worked; now it doesn’t.”
Dec 27, 2007 at 3:19 p.m.
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I was a Woodman shopper until Super Walmart opened. Now I do all my shopping there. I did go to Woodmans last month for food. Will never go back. Walmart is almost $1.00 less on some items than Woodmans. Keep up the good work Walmart.
Dec 27, 2007 at 2:38 p.m.
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True. The people sounded off and the city responded.
Dec 27, 2007 at 1:45 p.m.
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It appears the city is taking the credit for the flow of traffic. It's much better than I ever expected. I'd hope the city would eventually tip their hats to community members who worked hard to get the city to put pressure on the largest company in the world to make these changes. Needless to say, I rarely frequent the store, but if you choose to visit at least it's a more "pleasing" looking building than the normal walmart brick and mortar...and the flow of traffic is much better than it would have been without citizen involvement.
Dec 24, 2007 at 9:29 p.m.
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I got the Sentry on Court Street to carry Skyline Chile. It's the best. Try it.
Dec 24, 2007 at 2:04 p.m.
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He died eight days after his 100th birthday. Too bad they hung his picture by the bathroom.
Dec 24, 2007 at 1:58 p.m.
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Walmarts are large enough to have a horizon.
Dec 24, 2007 at 1:48 p.m.
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Proartist:
That is a nice, unbiased website against walmart! Walmart, without question has been an economic boon for the retailing sector. The winners are the consumers who shop there.
Dec 24, 2007 at 1:24 p.m.
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http://walmartwatch.
com/
Dec 24, 2007 at 12:29 p.m.
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USDA writes:
Why is pre-packaged ground beef red on the outside and sometimes dull, grayish-brown inside?
Oxygen from the air reacts with meat pigments to form a bright red color which is usually seen on the surface of meat purchased in the supermarket. The pigment responsible for the red color in meat is oxymyoglobin, a substance found in all warm-blooded animals. Fresh cut meat is purplish in color. The interior of the meat may be grayish brown due to lack of oxygen; however, if all the meat in the package has turned gray or brown, it may be beginning to spoil.
Dec 24, 2007 at 12:27 p.m.
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Tibertrin writes:From what I have been told and noticed, you will never see a "meat cutter" at walmart. They get their meat in prepackaged.
I have seen a meat cutter there. I have watched them bringing chicken from the back.
Mymaro writes:a friend of mine works for walmart and she said they add a coloring to their meat to make it more red.
I had a class on this once, every place does this. Hence the fact that when you break hamburger apart it is brown inside. It is not appealing to buy brown meat so they add red. I believe (not sure) it was bulls blood or something they dip it in.
I am a Woodman's shopper but I think Wal-Mart has a better selection of meats. As far as groceries, Woodman's hands down. Logli is just ungodly costly on anything. No one mentioned Pick N Save but when they have their buy 1 get 1 free sale, there are some pretty good deals!
Merry Christmas everyone!
Dec 23, 2007 at 11:24 p.m.
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I agree Wal-Mart Sucks. I always have shopped at Woodmans and don't plan on changing better meat, more selection, better prices and service. If we all don't get sucked into the Wal-Mart vortex there will always be choices of different stores to shop at.
Dec 23, 2007 at 10:17 p.m.
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I would like to comment on the traffic on 26. It is a bad design and it is amazing that there have not been more accidents. I wish the gazette would have contacted me, they sure did not try hard to find people.
Dec 23, 2007 at 7:42 p.m.
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Wal-Mart Sucks.....
Dec 23, 2007 at 6:29 p.m.
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From what I have been told and noticed, you will never see a "meat cutter" at walmart. They get their meat in prepackaged. At Sams Club, there is a meat cutter...or two. The nice thing at Sams--if that roast or package of pork chops is too big for you, ring the bell and the meat cutter(s) will take it in back (in your full view) and cut it down for you. I have had this done on a couple of occasions. Turn 2 roasts into 4 and that makes for more meals. I agree that there is no reason why all the stores cant accomodate the city and surrounding area. Many of the "local" stores will get the convenience customers where Sams and Walmart will get the "I need alot of stuff" customers. Merry Christmas everyone~
Dec 23, 2007 at 5:43 p.m.
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Woodmans is great. Target is great. Loglis is great. Walmart is great. Sentry is great. Farm and Fleet is great...Welcome to America, the Land of opportunity. How blessed we are to have choices. Oh and by the way...I think Walmart should be able to allow motorhomes to stay in their parking lot if they want. The city definitely overstepped their bounds here. Have a Merry Christmas!
Dec 23, 2007 at noon
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i agree with devilsadvcocate. i tried the walmart grocery thing and it just didnt work for me. not nearly the selection of woodmans. a friend of mine works for walmart and she said they add a coloring to their meat to make it more red. i wont buy their meat anyway. tried it a couple times and ended up sick both times. for groceries i will stick with woodmans, their selection is above all others. but for general shopping i still frequent walmart.
Dec 23, 2007 at 11:24 a.m.
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We changed, only temporarily, to Wal-Mart for groceries, then right back to Woodmans. Woodmans, overall, for the items we purchase regularly, was noticeably less expensive.
Dec 23, 2007 at 11:20 a.m.
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Logili's produce and meats are some of the best in town. They put Woodmans to shame. I can't say I have been to Wal-Mart and don't plan to.
Dec 23, 2007 at 9:03 a.m.
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You don't tip the cook? Shame! The rest of your comments sound like B A H H U M B U G ! ! !
Smile, It's Christmas!
Dec 23, 2007 at 2:22 a.m.
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Wow are you kidding me? We already forgot about the big RV problem from Tuesday..... OK OK I see this is an article about how great the city is and how they solved all of our problems of Wal-Mart going into that area when in fact WAL-MART did all the work paid all the fees and things this city came up with basically jumping through all there hoops, Mr Cantrell should be carefull not to sprain his shoulder patting himself on the back!!!!! Now on to the lies they feed us, Woodmans has leveled out the same but if you notice they now advertise on TV and we don't get as low of prices as we use to, Logli's well now this is obviously A store that is for convience about the same or HIGHER prices as Stop-n-Go unless your shopping from their add your paying WAY TO MUCH!!!! And now for the other north-side grocery store Sentry if you don't mind spending as much as you would wasting your money at Culvers plan on forking out about $40 to $50 for dinner; Unless you have more than 3 coming then open your pocket book again..... Hey at least when you dine at home you dont have to leave A tip!!!!!!!!!!
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