Walmart Supercenter At 111 Yale St.

[TheNiche]

I, too, hope that the Heights (or somewhere close enough that the Heights can rhetorically annex the location) gets a Trader Joe's. Thereafter, I can mockingly congradulate them for being more Woodlands-icious than ever before.

[mcook2002]

I, too, hope that the Heights (or somewhere close enough that the Heights can rhetorically annex the location) gets a Trader Joe's. Thereafter, I can mockingly congradulate them for being more Woodlands-icious than ever before.

minus that whole 30 miles away from the city part. but, yeah, i get you brah. sweet reference to annexation.

[s3mh]

I, too, hope that the Heights (or somewhere close enough that the Heights can rhetorically annex the location) gets a Trader Joe's. Thereafter, I can mockingly congradulate them for being more Woodlands-icious than ever before.

Yeah. Every time I am up in The Woodlands, all I hear about is how much they hate Walmart, want a more walkable/less car centric neighborhood and want to preserve historic bungalows and shop at small independent businesses. CongraTulations. You really nailed it this time.

And Trader Joe's is typically 12-15k sq feet. They tend to prefer to go into a strip mall rather than free standing store. (You could fit at least ten Trader Joes into the Heights Walmart.) I think the apartment complex is more than likely a go considering the lack of building inside the loop over the recession has made the market ripe for new complexes.

[SilverJK]

Yeah. Every time I am up in The Woodlands, all I hear about is how much they hate Walmart, want a more walkable/less car centric neighborhood and want to preserve historic bungalows and shop at small independent businesses. CongraTulations. You really nailed it this time.

Aside from preserving historic bungalows, that is EXACTLY what i hear from people from The Woodlands. They Hate walmart but love Whole Foods/Trader Joes, want more bike paths and trails, and brag about how much they like shopping at the boutique stores (although a lot of them are not independent...)

Apparently, now we have to worry about people robbing the "Heights" walmart with AK-47s. = ]

[J008]

Apparently, now we have to worry about people robbing the "Heights" walmart with AK-47s. = ]

It will give the Heights kroger a run for its money.

[samagon]

Most TJ's locations are quite small- 20,000 square feet is standard.

well, my only experience with TJ does not jive with that, but as my only experience with TJ is only of one location in a different state, I will reserve further comparison. However I will offer my experience, the TJ I experienced in California was a store on a comparable scale with the new whole foods on waugh/dallas. while not as big as a Walmart, it's still of a scale that poses the same fundamental issues that Walmart would bring, in that semi trucks have to get there, traffic on the street will increase, etc. etc. etc.

[s3mh]

well, my only experience with TJ does not jive with that, but as my only experience with TJ is only of one location in a different state, I will reserve further comparison. However I will offer my experience, the TJ I experienced in California was a store on a comparable scale with the new whole foods on waugh/dallas. while not as big as a Walmart, it's still of a scale that poses the same fundamental issues that Walmart would bring, in that semi trucks have to get there, traffic on the street will increase, etc. etc. etc.

Your only experience is that you cannot tell how big a store is. Montrose Whole Foods is 45000. Trader Joes are on average 12,000-15,000 sq ft. It is part of their business strategy. They stock only about 4,000 product skus as opposed to 50000 that a typical grocery store stocks. That lets them save money on overhead (small stores) and get major price concessions from suppliers for near exclusivity and guaranteed excellent sales. If there is a Trader Joes on the West Coast that is 45,000, it is an exception to the over 300 other stores that are about the size of a CVS. And a12,000-15,000 sq ft store that is not open 24 hours is not anywhere near the scale that would cause any of the same concerns that the Walmart will cause. That is just flat out wrong.

[RedScare]

Good to see this thread revived. I had missed s3mh's "facts" and "concerns" and knowledge of Woodlands residents. I am especially fond of her "concerns" over Walmart's 24 hour status. Kroger has been a 24 hour store for years and has never posed a problem. In fact, I enjoy going in there late night when the uppity Heights crowd is asleep. I've shopped 24 Walmarts too (in The Woodlands, no less!), and found it to be a good time to go. I loaded up on Ike supplies before the crowds hit back in 2008.

The love of Trader Joes, Whole Foods and Target just shows that the Walmart haters are hypocrites who love chains and big boxes...just so long as it is THEIR chain big box. Whatever.

Note: I noticed as I drove up Yale today that they are ripping out the historic asphalt in front of the Orr property. Brought tears to my eyes. What use is my Jeep if the pavement is smooth!

[lockmat]

Aside from preserving historic bungalows, that is EXACTLY what i hear from people from The Woodlands. They Hate walmart but love Whole Foods/Trader Joes, want more bike paths and trails, and brag about how much they like shopping at the boutique stores (although a lot of them are not independent...)

Apparently, now we have to worry about people robbing the "Heights" walmart with AK-47s. = ]

There are three Walmarts in the Woodlands area. I've never heard anyone from the Woodlands say they dislike it. And even if a some have said that, I'm sure it's not the majority. Those who don't like it probably can afford to shop at boutique type places, too. And not all the Woodlands is that type.

[TheNiche]

Yeah. Every time I am up in The Woodlands, all I hear about is how much they hate Walmart, want a more walkable/less car centric neighborhood and want to preserve historic bungalows and shop at small independent businesses. CongraTulations. You really nailed it this time.

The cultural differences are only skin-deep, not that much greater than the difference between buying a silver car or buying a beige car.

You could fit at least ten Trader Joes into the Heights Walmart.

Yeah, but how many Trader Joes would get built on eleven acres? With or without a Wal-Mart, there will be something, and there will be traffic. The only differences as far as neighborhood impact or desirability are qualitative (i.e. Are the shoppers predominantly white or brown? Are the shoppers predominantly rich or poor? That kind of thing. And I for one, don't care.)

[J008]

The cultural differences are only skin-deep, not that much greater than the difference between buying a silver car or buying a beige car.

Yeah, but how many Trader Joes would get built on eleven acres? With or without a Wal-Mart, there will be something, and there will be traffic. The only differences as far as neighborhood impact or desirability are qualitative (i.e. Are the shoppers predominantly white or brown? Are the shoppers predominantly rich or poor? That kind of thing. And I for one, don't care.)

Man, You really got a hate on for the heights.

While many of your comparisons are correct, anyone who has spent time in both locations wouldn't remotely equate the two.

[TheNiche]

The neighborhood is just fine, physically speaking. So is The Woodlands.

What I hate are highly-insulated subcultures of similarly-obnoxious people, especially when as generational breeding cycles kick in. By my observation, affluent obnoxious people have a greater wherewithall to actualize and then mass-communicate their smug preferences, and so the criticisms that I am leveling at the Heights and The Woodlands are several orders of magnitude greater than what I might level at, say, Pasadena or even Spring. It is also notable that my 'hate-on' diminishes with distance. So right now, at this moment, I do not care about Austin or College Station, even if they are highly deserving of criticism. It is also notable that I have a respect for differently-obnoxious people, such as seem to gravitate toward the East End and Third Ward.

[RedScare]

Man, You really got a hate on for the heights.

While many of your comparisons are correct, anyone who has spent time in both locations wouldn't remotely equate the two.

As one who lives in one neighborhood and offices in the other, I can see exactly where Niche is coming from. And, while the two areas may seem to be polar opposites, the inhabitants share similar traits. They are the same, but different. By that, I mean that both groups express a haughty superiority while being largely ignorant of the subject matter they are speaking about. For instance, Woodlanders claim to be classy and conservative, but tend to be nouveau riche at best. Heitghts residents may claim a green and socially conscious intelligence, and a knowledge of architecture or preservation, but their attempts to put it into practice achieve the opposite results. And, neither group can be instructed, as both think everyone else is an idiot. In that sense, they are identical...upper middle class incomes with decidedly middling intellects, and refusing to actually research what they claim to be an expert about.

There are examples of this throughout this forum, and indeed, within this threa

[Porchman]

Tsk, Redscare. Those Woodland folk are all about their slab, stucco, brick, Mall, Hummers, and Suburbans. They just don't get our pier-beam, clapboard, Hardiplank, shops on 19th, Priuses, and Subarus. Also, we live near Downtown. And we live at least 10 blocks from poor people. What's wrong with those...people?

Edit: Oh, by "those people" I didn't mean poor people. I meant those Woodlander suburbanites. [Hiss of a feral cat].

Edited January 12, 2012 by Porchman

[RedScare]

Considering the number of Woodlands residents who have moved to the Heights, I dare say they do. That's the problem.

[TheNiche]

Edit: Oh, by "those people" I didn't mean poor people. I meant those Woodlander suburbanites. [Hiss of a feral cat].

Surely you didn't. Socially-concious as y'all are, no Heights resident would put that kind of sentiment out there so flagrantly. Its simply not plausible because you know that a Woodlander could've picked up on the possibility that they might be able to smear you by quoting your statement out of context, knowing all the while that it wasn't your intention.

Angry white people, regardless of physical configuration or political affiliation, are cannibalistic birds of a feather. They flock together, then pick each other apart, viciously.

[Porchman]

Considering the number of Woodlands residents who have moved to the Heights, I dare say they do. That's the problem.

Ugh! DATA! Do you have actual data on people trading their Tuscan manses for Mctorian manses? We also expect data in the Heights. We're rife with attorneys, ya know.

[Porchman]

Angry white people, regardless of physical configuration or political affiliation, are cannibalistic birds of a feather. They flock together, then pick each other apart, viciously.

Ah, You're wise. You have shopped at the 11th Street Kroger!

[RedScare]

Ahh. It warms my heart to see my invention, AWP, so elegantly woven into the fabric of TheNiche's prose.

[RedScare]

Ugh! DATA! Do you have actual data on people trading their Tuscan manses for Mctorian manses? We also expect data in the Heights. We're rife with attorneys, ya know.

Well, the couple across the street from me are Woodlands expats. Since anecdotes are the statistics of choice for the upper middle class ignorants, it shall be good enough for me.

[mcook2002]

Some of you dudes must be an absolute BLAST IRL.

[J008]

I thought it was just AWP who don't want wal mart.

http://www.economist.com/blogs/schumpeter/2012/01/indias-retail-reform

[TheNiche]

I thought it was just AWP who don't want wal mart.

http://www.economist...s-retail-reform

AWP are like Baskin Robbin's 31 Flavors. It takes all kinds.

[ricco67]

Surely you didn't. Socially-concious as y'all are, no Heights resident would put that kind of sentiment out there so flagrantly. Its simply not plausible because you know that a Woodlander could've picked up on the possibility that they might be able to smear you by quoting your statement out of context, knowing all the while that it wasn't your intention.

Angry white people, regardless of physical configuration or political affiliation, are cannibalistic birds of a feather. They flock together, then pick each other apart, viciously.

Why is it that everytime I see "Woodlander" it comes out in my head in a german accent?

[callisthenes]

Still waiting for some substantiation of that 45,000 sq ft super trader joes in California. I am sure you will be able to verify that since you are so quick to require anyone opposing you to verify every factual statement they make.

Their business model has changed.

<But Flickinger, who has followed the chain for decades, said the company is seeking to expand the size of its shops by building new stores and also renting bigger retail spaces in new markets. A 13,000-square-foot Trader Joe's opened in Hollywood last year. Some stores, such as a location in Silver Lake and another in Eagle Rock, have already expanded.

The average Trader Joe's store probably will increase from between 10,000 square feet and 15,000 square feet now to 15,000 square feet and bigger, Flickinger predicts. "Trader Joe's can make double or triple the sales volume per week at a bigger store than at a small store, while checkmating competitors," he said.>

http://articles.lati...r-joes-20111027

[samagon]

Still waiting for some substantiation of that 45,000 sq ft super trader joes in California. I am sure you will be able to verify that since you are so quick to require anyone opposing you to verify every factual statement they make.

Next time I'm there I'll take some pictures. Until then believe it or not, I really don't care if you take my word or not?

Sent from my Nexus One using Tapatalk

[lockmat]

I have not been keeping up with this thread because of all the food tossing, so I didn't realize that this actually broke ground and is opening in the fall.

Did the Stop The Heights Walmart people have an impact at all? I can see from their website that even though they lost the war, they are trying to make the construction stage hell for them.

[JJxvi]

They had a positive impact on my level of entertainment.

[s3mh]

Given the power developers/engineers/contractors and Walmart weild in city hall politics and how spooked the city was after getting sued by the Ashby developers, stop heights walmart was doomed from the start. But if the only time people stood up and fought for what they believed is right was when they had a good chance of winning, there would not be much good in the world today.

Without the anti-walmart movement, untold numbers of semis and dump trucks would be driving across the Yale St. bridge, which has been found to be unsound for any commercial truck traffic. The city originally told people that the bridge was appropriate for Walmart's semi-trailers. The stop heights walmart people brought it to everyone's attention (including HISD) that the bridge was not rated for large commerical vehicles and school buses. Efforts have been made to procure funding to upgrade the bridge.

The issue of 380 agreements as being giveaways has been put into play by the stop heights walmart people. The Kroger 380 agreement got push back from Clutterbuck and others on the grounds that it looked like corporate welfare. That is a big step because 380 agreements are always a favorite of city council because they effectively allow council to spend money today that future councils will have to cover when the city does not receive the new and existing tax revenue promised to the developer in the 380. Basically, a municipal credit card.

Some awareness was raised about the small businesses in the Heights and West End. Wabash, C&D, and others have put on a brave face. But without a concerted effort to make sure that the community supports these small businesses, some will be lost after Walmart moves in.

Anything to throw sand in the gears of a company whose founder's hiers build a 1.2 billion art gallery in the middle of nowhere while the company slashes health care benefits to the lowest paid employees at the same time they announce the first upturn in same store sales in the US after eight quarters of declines is worth something.

But time will only tell whether this whole opposition movement was worth it. If people in the Heights/West End and other neighborhoods in Houston feel that the lesson from this is that you cannot fight city hall and their developer friends, then this all may not have been worth it. But if people feel that they now have a voice and continue to organize to push for better development in Houston, support local businesses and fight for quality of life issues in the City's residential neighborhoods, then a battle was lost, but a war might be won.

[RedScare]

While s3mh wishes to make it sound as if Walmart steamrolled our poor mayor, nothing could be further from the truth. Fact is, Parker wanted this development and proposed the 380. Just as Parker crushed the majority opposition to her pet historic district project, she crushed the minority opposition to Walmart. The Walmart opponents have stopped nothing, changed nothing. Kind of shame, really. Parker actually asked them what changes they'd like. Those morons only said, 'no Walmart'. They went all in and lost.