Is Wal-Mart a good idea for Powhatan?

Powhatan should not attempt to attract the "big box" developments that have made Midlothian Turnpike and Hull Street Road in Chesterfield County such eyesores. The number of new traffic lights that would be required, in addition to the increased traffic on Anderson Highway, would only lead to more urban sprawl. These types of retail establishments will greatly diminish the quality of live in our county. One can travel a few short miles on Route 60 East for every type of big-box retail (including WalMart) establishment known to man. We don't need to this type of development in our county.

I would rather spend my dollars in Powhatan, and am for the WalMart. In the newspaper article, it says that no new Route 60 crossovers would be made.

Consider that much of the traffic already on Rt 60 consists of consumers going to Chesterfield to shop! Couldn't hurt our tax base. Powhatan should consider opening up to a few of these retailers, who now have to meet much stricter guidelines so as not to be considered 'bad neighbors'. Our county has been much more under control of housing sprawl, so it cannot become another Chesterfield anyway.

Please consider the cycle of what this will provide to our county and ultimately the landfill (Amelia) - but it can be applied to ANY county and ANY landfill through out the United States.

As I see it, here is the cycle. I go to Wal-mart I find cheap stuff. I find SO much cheap stuff that I buy what is not really needed, but it's so cheap - why not? I bring it home, I use it for awhile, I no longer find the CHEAP item satisfying - as it was 'just something cheap'.

Since it was so cheap I have no problem getting rid of it. The easiest place to get rid of it is through a yard sale - but people are looking for GOOD stuff that is cheap, not JUNK. Since essentially it's JUNK it ends up in the land fill.

Now that I have more room in my house for stuff, I head back to Wal-mart and start the cycle all over again.

It's not ONLY that the county should stay rural, it's not ONLY that you can just drive 20 minutes to the Chesterfield Wallmart/Sam's Club, it's not ONLY the scar upon the land and the additional traffic.....for me it's more so at the individual level it's just not wise for the county to promote/allow the "opium den of consumption"; the "illusion of prosperity".....for the citizens of Powhatan.

Please see the follwing links for excellent sources of why the nod for a Powhatan Wal-mart should not occur. Search your conscience you KNOW it is NOT RIGHT to enable the citizens of the county who have not been able to acquire the FULL knowledge of the whole spectrum of what this does to us on so MANY levels.

http://www.salon.com/books/review/2009/07/12/cheap/
http://www.alternativesmagazine.com/30/baynton.html

NO to Wal-Mart..Powhatan is already starting to lose it's rural flavor, and this is just another shot in the heart. We've lost May's Store--a local favourite, to Food Lion. Etc., etc. Our local merchants should not suffer because of Wal-Mart's Big Box mentality.

The tax base increase would be miniscule if you factor in the loss of local merchants, their loss of income, etc. The wear and tear on roads in Powhatan already not able to handle the traffic. And typically employees would be brought from outside the county, so...where are the benefits? Wal-Mart is a carbuncle.

It's not so long a drive to Midlothian for Wal-Mart. Keep em out of here.

No Wal-Mart in Powhatan.

No Wal-Mart in Powhatan.

NO, NO and NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Walmart is the largest retailer in the world, but Powhatan doesn't need one. We have Target at Westchester and the Midlo Walmart is not that far!!!

If walmart comes to powhatan it will cripple the small businesses. Sure there are pro's and con's for the situation but, if walmart does open in powhatan, not only will there be more traffic but, we might as well change the name of powhatan to chesterfield and merge together. Powhatan isn't known for having the big name organizations/businesses , its known for its community and how well they know each other. There is already a walmart in chesterfield why put one in powhatan. Is it because people are to lazy to drive that far... I have no clue but, once you say yes, you wont be able to get rid of this place.

If anyone wants to shop at Walmart, then drive the 7 miles down the road to the one in Chesterfield. Powhatan needs to strive to NOT becoming like Chesterfield with it's overdevelopment.
The location that Walmart is eyeing would be a nightmare. Why would you stick a Walmart in between the entrance to a Stone Quarry and an Asphalt and Concrete plant. An absolute guarantee for a fatal accident.

Walmart drives small business jobs away which usually pay more and have better benefits than big box retail. Loss of jobs means loss of tax revenues, than you have empty business space that is unsalable. It sits empty, gets bull dozed and the next thing you know we look just like Chesterfield annex. Walmart pays poorly, offers mostly part time and very few employees get or can afford benefits. Well placed industry can be hidden from view, offers good paying jobs and doesn't change our character. Helps the tax base too. Also small retail is more attractive and draws tourist trade in which would also contribute to the character of the County and help the tax base as well. I would rather see a nice hotel than a Walmart.

Please Please make the short trip to Midlothian if you would like to buy things from CHINA oops I mean Walmart. When Walmart is finished running all the little guys away do you really think they will keep their prices low if they don,t have any competition? Think about the future not just today. This is about more than our little county.

We moved to Powhatan 14 years ago, because it was different than Chesterfield, Midlothian and other similar towns in the Richmond area that had the big shopping centers and mutliple fast food places dotted all over the landscape. If I wanted all of those choices and easy access to those big box retailers , I would have chosen to live in a different county. We choose Powahtan because of the rural beauty and it was NOT like other counties in the area. It was just coming into it's own with a very good school system and we thought the perfect place to raise a family. We knew we had everything here that we needed to make us happy and if we needed the goods and services of something not available in Powhatan, we would just have to drive 15- 20 minutes to get it.
Now let's fast forward 14 years and guess what, I still like to live here for the same reasons.. Yes, we now have a MCDonalds, Wendy's and some of the smaller retail chains, but nothing that threatens the lively hood of the small business owners here in the county. We also have a very nice YMCA , great new athletic fields, beautiful new schools a great library and other specialty businesses that have popped up along the way. In Powhatan, some feel that is growing too fast and I understand, but progress is bound to happen along the way.
Powhatan still has great rural characteristics even with those changes, but once we let the likes of Walmart in here, all bets are off and others will follow. People will drive through our county and say "Powhatan is just like Chesterfield now, look at all of the big stores, it never used to be like that".
I think that Powhatan can actually create a very sustainable future being different, rural, rather than letting all of the big box tax dollars in here. If we diversify with mutliple small to meduim sized specialty shops, businesses and manufacturing companies we will not rely on a couple of big giants for such a big chunk of our tax base. Overall, it will be a better, sustainable model for Powhatan.
For those who are in favor of the big boxes, I would ask them the question on why did they choose Powhatan to live in the first place? I am sure they did not drive out here and say "I can't wait till rt. 60 is cluttered with retail, giants and traffic just like the other countless counties and towns in America".
I would challenge our Powhatan board memebers to "dare to be different".. You can sell a different product with character, much easier than a similar product that 90% of the other guys are pushing...
Powhatan can offer a great rural,peaceful place to live as we sit now, with everything we need within 25 minute drive, including the big city attractions of Richmond. Once the first big box breaks ground, that will be change the landscape & small town feel forever..

Bring on the walmart i need another job

I can see both sides of the WalMart issue, but some of the arguments don't make sense to me.
I moved out to Powhatan because I like the rural-ness of it. Of course, like anyone else who moved out here for the rural character, my moving here changed that rural character. It's a little less rural because of my house and my living here.
It's a nice idea that small business would be better, but can you imagine how many small businesses it would take dotting Rt 60 to create the same number of jobs a WalMart would? That would be an eyesore! If the store was being proposed along 711 it would be different. Right now coming into Powhatan on Rt 60 there are metal buildings, block buildings, gas stations, and business offices that were once homes. I'm not sure you could ruin that vista with a WalMart.
Also, most small businesses don't create jobs that pay any better than WalMart or any other big box store. One comment was for a hotel. Again, that would be nice, but apparently Powhatan wouldn't support one or there would be one here. Also, I don't believe housekeeping, bus persons, grounds people, etc. would be better paid than if they worked at a big box store.
I'd hate to see Dirty Hands Garden Center, Apothicarian Herbal, the pharmacies negatively affected by a large store. Though, I drive through Midlothian and see all sorts of drug stores and Midlothian Apothacary continues on. On 360 Lowes, Home Depot, WalMarts are all around and still the small garden centers plug along. I'm not convinced there would be a detrimental effect on small business in the county. Most places you see WalMart you see other smaller businesses moving in. Some are national chains, some are small independents.
If the county allows one big box store, that opens the door for others, but only if the others think Powhatan could support them.
I'm not suggesting I have the answer, only some thoughts on the subject.