Here in Grand Rapids, this is Meijer country. Walmart only has four locations as opposed to Meijer's eight. Walmart's Meijer's bitch. Meijer is definitely higher class than Walmart. Better quality products and guess what? It's unionized!
13 miles to a Walmart for me. They don't allow chain stores in my town. Just one Rite-Aid and a Hannaford market.
So everyone in the town gets their medicine there or do you still have local drug stores? I remember when mine finally died back in the Philly burbs around 2000. CVS moved in right next door and the pharmacist/owner wound up working for them.
5 miles (and inches) is fine. I live like 1.5 miles from one but my Dad lives in a much nicer area and is still only about 6 miles away from one.
Whew. I don't know bout y'all but my walmart is pretty scuzzy and the clientel are what some would call the undesirables.
A couple of towns that border us have the full compliment of chain stores. Actually, our previous hometown (for 18 years) had no chains, and only a handful of businesses of any kind. One pizzeria, a garden center, and an equestrian shop. But all 4 bordering towns had stores galore.
I've been to Walmarts in nice neighborhoods and bad neighborhoods. Eventually all neighborhoods will have them.
