Monday, December 22, 2008

No more Mr. Smileyface

Here we go again! Wouldn't you think Wal-Mart would realize sooner or later that they need to stay away from major historic sites? They could save a lot on attorney fees and make their prices even lower. Or they could pay their employees better!

Sorry. Uncalled for. Feeling a little snarky today.

Also, one would think, after all the battles these big-box stores get into over their impacts on historic sites and downtowns, that it might be a good idea for them to retain an independent historic preservation consultant. This person/firm could then advise their marketing and site selection decisionmakers about nearby resources when selecting a site for a new store.

I realize that these sites are chosen based on studies and models and forecasts. I think preservation considerations should be added to the model. Need to be added to the model. And a consultant is going to cost less than a round of lawsuits and associated legal fees. Everybody wins!

Anyway, a petition against this is here.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Kate - A fellow preservationist here...Have you read the new book by Julia Christensen called "Big Box Reuse?" It's not purely a rant against Wal-Mart, but there are some classic Wal-mart stories in there. You should pick it up.

Kate said...

Sounds great - thanks for the recommendation!