...and Okemos just got burned. Yesterday Wal-Mart sued the township of Okemos because they rejected the stores request to expand to a Super Wal-Mart, and open 24/7. Why the people of Okemos are shocked over this, I have no idea. Don't people do their homework over they type of businesses they get in bed with.
When I first came to Lansing almost 15 years ago, there wasn't a single Walmart in the area. Since then, we now have 3. The Greater Lansing area, had always prided itself with local Michigan businesses, including the very similar Meijers store. I was living in Okemos around the time they were building the store. This wasn't farmland removed for the store, but rather beautiful forested wetlands. Meijers, which has the same stuff, is less then a mile from the Wal-Mart in question.
But its not just Wal-Marts we kept at bay around here. With the exception of one store, Starbucks have been confined to the dark corners of bookstores and malls. With local coffee cafe's taking the lead. Whether its Beaners, Cappuccino Cafe, Wired cafe, Cafe Royal, or many others, its nice to know we have a choice.
Recently Beaners got some free advertising when NPR was in Ann Arbor interviewing students about the recent affirmative action policy changes. The report started with the reporter claiming he was told could find students to interview at a place called "Beaners", where the coffee will keep you up all night, unlike that Starbucks place.
Anyways, theres no question, Okemos got a lot of money to allow Wal-Mart to build, too bad all that will get flushed in the lawsuit.
Side note: Meijer once had a Starbucks in their stores, no longer the case.
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