Neighbors Concerned about New Wal-Mart
Neighbors Concerned about New Wal-Mart Save Email Print
Posted: 9:25 PM Apr 11, 2008
 Last Updated: 10:37 PM Apr 12, 2008
 Reporter: Laurabree Austin
Email Address: laurabree.austin@wsaz.com
35 comments
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HURRICANE, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- It's been one month since the super Wal-Mart opened its doors in Putnam County and now many neighbors are unhappy about their big new neighbor.

Excitement was in the air at the grand opening of the new Hurricane Wal-Mart and while the cheering might be over there are still plenty of people coming to shop.

That's good news for Wal-Mart, but neighbor John Clay says it's been tough. His frustration isn't so much with the store but with the customers.

"Well the Wal-Mart doesn't bother us but you have young kids with boom boxes in their cars, or whatever you call them things and they absolutely vibrate the house," said Clay.

The increased noise and traffic make his neighborhood a far cry from what it used to be.

Stores like A to Z Supermarket have been here for more than a half a century and they knew Wal-Mart would have an effect.

"The first couple weeks we were down at least 10%, if not more," said Dan Hodges, a manager at the store.

But this family owned business said it wasn't as bad as they expected.
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Posted by: Jean on Apr 21, 2008 at 02:44 PM
I made my 1st (AND LAST) trip to the new Hurricane WalMart on Saturday. Customer Service was NIL. Traffic Pattern is the worst for a shopping area I've ever been to. For the neighbors soooo close by, I just hope you can get out of there permanently!!! Can't believe ENGINEERS involved designed such an atrosity.
Posted by: LadyA on Apr 17, 2008 at 12:30 PM
Hey MARK! Why do you complain so much about Wal-Mart, how rude they are and what lousy neighbors they are but yet you use them to promote your business? You really ticked me off last night! I came out of Wal-Mart and found that you had touched my car, my personal property by leaving a stupid flyer promoting your business. Just so you know I didn't want your trash so I wadded it up and placed in your front yard. I should have spit on it or used it as TP first.
Posted by: Hurricane Resident on Apr 17, 2008 at 10:23 AM
I absolutely love A-Z but they have to do a bit better to compete. Their meat is unequaled but out of date milk and eggs on the shelves and rotting produce don't help their cause. I also love/hate Walmart. It did bring jobs and more commerce is coming. Mr. Halburn's vendeta against WalMart is getting old. You can still sell your property and move. Change happens. I have new neighbors too. If I can't get along with them to the point of mental anguish, I'll cut my losses and leave.
Posted by: Samcat on Apr 16, 2008 at 11:59 PM
Guess who I saw shopping in WalMart the last time I was there------John Clay one of the biggest complainers of all time besides Mark>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Posted by: Darth James on Apr 16, 2008 at 06:25 PM
Where will A to Z go???? Well bankrupt probably. They are a little hole in the wall place that will soon learn that this is no longer the America that used to be. The reason everybody hates Walmart and Sam Walton is because he came up with the best idea ever... in the history of the world! All people want to do is complain how awful it is, but to be honest, how awful is a place that can offer you the lowest prices and the widest selection. Sorry neighbors or Walmart that such a great and needed place was built beside you. That is all America needs you know... more jobs and lower prices for what we need to survive. (Please pay attention to the sarcasm)
Posted by: Diane on Apr 16, 2008 at 04:07 PM
I just found these comments posted and will add mine. Hurricane will do good by Walmart being here. It will bring tax money that we need. All the new businesses will help us. But there is always one who will never be happy and Mark who posted below will complain wherever he lives. He is a miserable person and whether it is Walmart or any other company who would have built on that property he would have complained. I have driven up there to see how close his house is and he is far enough away not to be affected like he says he is. He says contractors are rude. Read his blog and see how rude he is. I can not believe he posts about area churches and trys to act supportive of them and he spews such venom to people who he does not like. He complains about the leadership. He complains about Walmart. He complains about noise. He copmplains about train whistles. He complains about progress. He complains because that is all he knows how to do. What a sad existance.
Posted by: LadyA on Apr 16, 2008 at 03:06 PM
The only thing that ticks me off is that when the people leave Walmart they run the stop sign. There is a 2 way stop there so please stop. DON'T FLIP ME OFF or blow your horn at me! Next time I will ram my car into yours! I'll be sure to hit the front so you can buy me a new a car.
Posted by: CHARLENE!! on Apr 16, 2008 at 12:23 PM
OHHH COME ON PEOPLE..THIS IS GETTING JUST SILLY..YOU PEOPLE NEED TO GROW UP OR JUST PUT YOUR PRECIOUS HOUSE UP FOR SALE AND MOVE SOMEWHERE OUT IN THE COUNTRY WHERE YOU WONT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THE GROWING ECONOMY. BUISNESS IS GONNA HAPPEN WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT. I CAN NOT BELIEVE THESE PEOPLE WHO THINK THEY ARE SO MUCH BETTER ARE WHINNING AND CRYING ABOUT THIS. TYPICAL IGNORANT WEST VIRGINIANS FOR YA!!
Posted by: Mark on Apr 16, 2008 at 07:17 AM
I don't have a problem with Wal-Mart in Putnam County. But building across the street from homes, blasting a hillside & filling in a pond when it should have been built on the flat land next to Home Depot shows the bad "leadership" in Putnam County. Contrary to local rumors (likely spread by Hurricane's "leaders" we were NOT made a huge offer for our home, only a low-ball offer by Disputed Mayor Scott Edwards who ADMITTED he would flip it later for DOUBLE-trying to take advantage of us. Neighbors, including us, DON'T want to stop progress. We only want peace & quiet in our homes & in our yards. Traffic noise is constant, excessive, & now, MORE construction down the hill. Contractors are rude & obnoxious. "We gotta work" (so what about YOUR neighborhood!) "It's progress" (no kidding!) "We gotta earn a living!" (So does the rest of the world, but THEY don't disrupt everyone else to earn a living! It's a matter of consideration for your neighbors & common sense! PLEASE give us a break!!!
Posted by: Jason M. on Apr 16, 2008 at 12:30 AM
Oh my god!..I was so tired of hearing people complain about the new walmart! Did the people who live next to that site not think that progress was going to happen eventually and something would be built on that land? After all we live in one of the fastest growing counties in the state..it amazes me one wasn't build years earlier.
Posted by: Jay on Apr 15, 2008 at 09:52 PM
I have family that lives across from Wal-Mart. The noise is horrible. Don't compare it to a train, which only runs a few times a day. You can leave when the train is coming. Train runs are scheduled. Wal-Mart traffic is 24/7. The people near Wal-Mart moved there decades ago. There was a hotel on that hill. Those that live near the train knew the tracks were there. The Wal-Mart deal was brokered by some dishonest politicians that were friends of convicted felon (former senator) Lisa Smith. A no-bid loan was used to buy the property for the county. We were promised Marshall and an office park. County officials committed fraud and used the money to sell to Wal-Mart instead. I shop at A to Z. Better service, better meat, competitive prices. Nice owners, the Hodges. Support HURRICANE businesses, not the liberal Clinton cronies from Arkansas!
Posted by: Worried on Apr 13, 2008 at 04:14 PM
I only worry about A-Z and CIS. Where will the little stores go? A-Z has been in Hurricane for ever and I for one will still continue to patronage it. They have great meat.
Posted by: ronnie on Apr 13, 2008 at 12:45 PM
Im going to get married in walmart..my girlfriend and i are already planning it!
Posted by: reader on Apr 13, 2008 at 11:13 AM
shopper, you are so right. people will see that in time.
Posted by: a on Apr 13, 2008 at 10:20 AM
ok... so who really cares if the young generation like myself enjoys a little bump in the truck. I mean seriously, we could be doing worse... umm like.. doing drungs, drinking and driving, drinking period, umm robbing people. So yeah, get off the music deal... just because i like my music doesnt make me a bad kid.. and also, just so you know... my paycheck paid for it NOT YOURS! And to "J" so sorry that some people are not as well off as you.. So they are a little less fortunate... what goes around comes around buddy. How many times have you went to walmart lately???
Posted by: Mike on Apr 13, 2008 at 09:11 AM
Folks i feel for you. But to put it Bluntly. You are going to have to put on your Big Girl Panties and suck it up. You need to pick your Battles, and this aint it. Wal Mart has too much money and power for a community to win.Show, or Place
Posted by: Kim on Apr 12, 2008 at 11:07 PM
I am willing to bet most of the complainers do not hesitate to run to the new walmart when they need something. Hypocrites are what they are.
Posted by: shopper on Apr 12, 2008 at 09:38 PM
Well all I can say is the worst is yet to come. Before we got our Wal-mart we had Kroger, Hills, K-Mart, Foodland and a couple other stores. Now we have Wal-mart, Foodland, and K-mart. Wal-mart came in with low prices and promises of jobs then they toke over and rose prices and cut back on jobs. Now the citizens of my town just pray that someone will come in and put a stop to them but it cant be done they offer everything that you could possible want except lay-away. I have a friend working there she told me that wal-mart in Gallipolis brings in over 3 million a day, there not going anywhere they will just get bigger.
Posted by: Jason on Apr 12, 2008 at 05:11 PM
The walmart is great. We can buy things cheaper here now instead of getting robbed by local stores.And for the putnam live guy across the street,give me a break. Your mother in laws property value increased and was offered a buy out but chose to ge greedy. Walmart is awesome
Posted by: Eat the rich on Apr 12, 2008 at 03:55 PM
Hello there J., talk about trailer trash, you must like to give your money away. You don't have to be trailer trash just because you like to save money. If you have children you probably buy them off with a pair of Nike tennis shoes or whatever is in style now. People with money make me sick, you think you are so much better than anyone else. Look at the teenage suicide rate, most people who commit suicide are rich. They just don't have anything to look forward to, they already have it all. The only thing they are lacking is love and compassion and that is understandable since rich people think they are" all that" and too good to love anyone except for their perfect self. I've read so many comments where people put down poor people, it's just uncalled for. The love of money is a sin and you are supposed to love thy neighbor.
Posted by: poor clay on Apr 12, 2008 at 02:33 PM
He is only mad cause Walmart offerred to buy them out and then didn't because he told them he wanted more money. Walmart said they would not pay more so too bad for him. Walmart has been the greatest thing in Hurricane. So many unemployed people now have jobs.
Posted by: What is this world coming 2 on Apr 12, 2008 at 01:37 PM
Well that is a big concern I think that the mayor should have taken in to concideration that people would complaining . I totally agree with tired of people complaining all the time? Just get over it trust they built one in Baldwin Park where I live it does cause more traffic but i have to live with it 4ever. So STOP COMPLAING ok!!!
Posted by: emilee on Apr 12, 2008 at 01:09 PM
for the ones complaining Just thought you might want to know walmart started out small. If these small grocery stores were smart they would compete with prices. I understand they are small and must make a living but if they kept in competition with prices customers that lived close by or that had been shopping there for years would still continue to come and not go to walmart. walmart isdoing a good thing they are very smart people. just imagine if all these small buisness did what they did. our economy would be through the roof. Small buisnesses should step it up maybe take some advice from their former small buisnees (walmart)
Posted by: Candace on Apr 12, 2008 at 10:08 AM
Wal-mart needs to stop! They are running the little people out of business. Yes it does create jobs but what about all the people who lose their jobs because of them
Posted by: Anonymous on Apr 12, 2008 at 09:55 AM
I love the new walmart here it is so convenient now I can shop and get home before my ice cream melts, and it has brought new jobs to the area which was much needed. I think in the long run walmart will be a huge asset.
Posted by: Anonymous on Apr 12, 2008 at 09:52 AM
To the one who said to send them back to mexico where they buy everything. I was in several other chain stores looking for a certain item. I did not have time to go to wal mart where I knew that I could get it and just about everything I picked up was made in other countries. It is not just wal mart. It is hard to find anything that is made in America today. And by the way they did not have the items that I was looking for so I still had to go elsewhere.
Posted by: Jennifer on Apr 12, 2008 at 09:52 AM
Who cares?! You can go anywhere now and almost everything is from China or Mexico or somewhere else other than the US. It doesn't matter what store you go to. Even if you buy off of the internet it still won't always be made in the US. And as far as noise goes... either adapt to it or move! The guy that does the PutnamLive.com lives by the new Walmart and has done nothing but complain about the new business everyday and has a blog about it. His stupid hammock that he says he can't enjoy anymore is wound around his tree and looks like it hasn't been used in about 3 years! He's trying to get money out of Walmart. He calls them everyday to complain about something! You know once he gets his money from his Walmart settlement he will move and get more money because his property value has probably skyrocketed because of it! And for those of you who criticize those of us who shop at Walmart ask yourselves... What country made your car? And what countries gas are you using to drive on?
Posted by: cosmo on Apr 12, 2008 at 06:27 AM
jobs at walmart, who wants to work just 20 hours a week, thats not a job. its takes that much to buy the gas for your vehicle, what a joke.
Posted by: samm on Apr 12, 2008 at 02:48 AM
I love shopping at Walmart. You can get almost everything in one store and save money too. As far as the complaint about noise, youll get used to it. After all you were young once too. Wish we had one in Carter County. And to Just Wait, do you own a store? Is that why youre so down on Walmart? You cant blame the people for shopping where thngs cost less and saving themselves money. Id rather put that penny in my pocket than yours.
Posted by: j on Apr 12, 2008 at 02:18 AM
when Walmart comes to town, the trailer trash comes out.
Posted by: tired of people complaining all the time on Apr 12, 2008 at 01:04 AM
The walmart brought more jobs to the area and it was a good thing. If the noise from peoples systems bothers you then try living beside train tracks...listen to that at all hours of the day and night. Haven't you ever heard of adapting to your environment? I have.
Posted by: Just wait! on Apr 11, 2008 at 11:47 PM
Wait until walmart starts putting small shops around the area out on the street.Walmart is a big chain that cares nothing about the little people.All you are is a credit card to them! They buy from other countries and sell here taking jobs away from americans.And if that isnt bad enough just type in walmart lawsuites in google and see the things going on there! Dont spend 1 penny at walmart and send them back to mexico where they buy everything.America would be so much better without walmart and people are to worried about saving a buck to realize that!
Posted by: Anonymous on Apr 11, 2008 at 10:25 PM
Stop complaining. I live across from a bar and all my neighbors and I are fed up with our houses rattling at 3 in the morning.
Posted by: Anonymous on Apr 11, 2008 at 10:14 PM
this is funny, is that all the guy had to complain about . the wal-mart opening there has more positives than negatives . think bout all the jobs it's bringing to the area. so i think i could stand a little noise considering it has helped so many people
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