Skip to main content

Apples and Oranges?

I got a lot of great feedback about Wal-mart vs. Wegmans yesterday. What I learned was:

1. Putting the two head-to-head is a rather specious comparison, and

2. Amongst my circle of Facebook friends, Wegmans is the clear winner.

But, although there were some confirmed lovers of Wegmans, overall the tone was set by people who, like me, loathe Wal-mart. So that was the deciding factor for them. They mentioned poor service, poor shopping experience, objection to Wal-mart policies. So some chose Wegmans as a means of spurning Wal-mart, even though they actually preferred other groceries. (Trader Joe's, MOM's, and Center Park Giant were mentioned)

Remember that this all started with information from the Village Center Market Study, which stated: People will drive 10 miles to get to a Wal-Mart versus 3-6 miles for a Wegmans. So, it is about how far you are willing to drive. Then I started to wonder. Are the people who are driving to Wal-mart the kind of folks who rely more on driving? Are the people who drive to Wegmans the type who are concerned about burning too much fossil fuel?

The larger the store, the more limited the options for where you can put one. The average Wal-Mart supercenter is 200,000+ square foot sitting on 20 to 30 acres of land. The Columbia Wegmans is 135,000 square feet. On the other hand, for comparison, the Long Reach Village Center is listed at 84,000 square feet. (Not sure if this is the whole space, or just available retail space.) The difference in scale is mind-boggling. So, in all likelihood, in order to go to a Wal-mart, you would have to drive farther.

So many variables. So many ways to spin it. So little benefit to humankind to take the time to analyze it.

I remember a game of sorts that we played in high school youth group called "values clarification." The leader put a line down the center of the room, and would call out two choices, starting with simple things like chocolate or vanilla, indicating which side of the room was which. Everyone would run to the side of the room they identified with. It was fun, and quite edifying. As you progressed from ice cream flavors to music styles to personality traits to controversial issues, you looked around to see who was on your side of the room. And who wasn't.

Something about the Wal-mart vs. Wegmans debate reminded me of that. It is obvious that my own circle of friends would be completely useless as a representative cross-section of the general population. It made me realize that most of them were all standing on the same side of the room with me.

There are many ways in which American life is one continuous game of values clarification these days. The topic is called out and we line up on our respective sides. What I learned from this particular discussion is that the reasons people have for making their choices are far more interesting than which side of the line they are standing on.

I hope I can remember that the next time I am trying to communicate with someone on the other side of the room.

 

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Getting Fresh

One of my favorite days in the Spring comes when this year’s list of Farmer’s Markets is released. That happened this week. New this year are markets in Old Ellicott City and the “Merriweather Market” which, according to the address, will be located here . I mistakenly thought at first glance that it was in the new-construction part of the Merriweather District. I find the name confusing considering its actual location. I’m going to guess that this market is an initiative of the Howard Hughes Corporation because the name seems chosen more for branding purposes than anything else.  Alas, the market in Maple Lawn is gone. The thread on the markets on the County Executive’s FB page will provide you with quite the education in who actually runs the Farmers Markets vs what people often think is going on. Short answer: they are not  chosen nor run by the county. Each market is an independent entity, sometimes started by community volunteers, other times supported by local businesses...
1 comment
Read more

They Can Wait

This is not a typical Saturday post. That’s because, in my community, it’s not a typical Saturday.  Oakland Mills High School, after years of deferred repair, needs massive renovation. It’s pretty simple: when you don’t fix a problem it gets bigger. The school system itself said the the OMHS school building was  "no longer conducive to learning" back in 2018.  2018 .  But Thursday the Boad of Education voted to push it out of the lineup of important projects which will be given the go-ahead to proceed soonest.  In my opinion it’s a terrible decision and sets a dangerous precedent. To explain, here’s the advocacy letter I sent in support of Oakland Mills High School. I was rather proud of it. I am writing to ask you to proceed with needed renovation at Oakland Mills High School in the most timely and comprehensive manner humanly possible. I have read the letter sent to you by the Oakland Mills Community Association and I am in complete agreement. You are extremel...
1 comment
Read more

What Kids Are Thinking

  It’s a Monday in February, and if you guessed that a lot of Howard County students have the new cell phone policy on their minds, you’d be right. It will mean big changes and it will be stressful, no matter how much good we hope it will do in the long run. But on this particular Monday cell phones might not be top of mind, as amazing as that seems. Some kids will go to school wondering if they or family members will be seized by ICE. Some will fear that their parents’ employment will be purged by the ongoing rampage of Elon Musk and his cronies through Federal Government. Some fear heightened and renewed racism as programs that supprted Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are vilified and destroyed.  Some worry that it soon won’t be safe for them to use the bathroom in school anymore. It goes without saying that some kids fear going to school every day because of the prevalence of school shootings.  And look! Here’s something new to fear. That old hate group, Libs of TikTo...
1 comment
Read more