Bog Box Report:Is Walmart Getting Ready To Pounce?
March 10, 2009
Will a soon to be empty block of Union Square leave Manhattan vulnerable to... Walmart?
Various sources have had the pride of Bentonville, AK ready to snap up the very available homes of Circuit City and Virgin Megastore. After countless rebuffs, Walmart chairman H. Lee Scott Jr. famously gave up his efforts to open a store within any of the five boroughs a few years ago, but was he just laying low until a weakened economy would create opportunities for the massive chain?
MSNBC reports that Walmart has already passed on the Virgin/Circuit City site, but are seriously eyeing 620 Sixth Avenue, which apparently already contains Bed Bath & Beyond, TJ Maxx and Filene's Basement. Are they going somewhere? There's also a big, empty space up the street from there where Barnes & Noble once was as well as many other sites that are sure to be vacatedor otherwise become available.
Even of Walmart did find a space they liked (and they have in the past), they would still have to do battle with community boards and, more importantly, unions, which remain strong in the area, so don't start panicking yet.
However, if there is a space that is good enough for Walmart, then wouldn't it be equally suitable for Target?
Couldn't they just beat them to the punch? After all, they know we love them.
Wal-Mart May Roll Back to Manhattan (MSNBC)
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