well then why not put a classroom in the store..
that way someone who has lived here for say 20 yrs..
could then venture beyond the local DMV and wally world..
ethnic food so what..don't see no signs for the hausfrau's do you...
it's for the lazy...nothing more.

Rika

When I first saw this story last week, I winced. But then I thought about it for a minute and think it's fine. I regularly shop at ethnic grocery stores. Why would I pay $3.99 for some fresh basil at Albertsons, when the local Vietnamese grocer has it for $.99 and fresher? The local Chinese grocery stores have things you simply can't get at other stores, such as certain spices, live fish, Chinese beer, cooking utensils, etc. In fact, the stuff they have that you can get anywhere else is usually far more expensive at the Chinese store. The Hispanic stores around here still sell Coke, Pepsi and Fanta in glass bottles and made with real sugar cane instead of corn syrup. Why shouldn't Wal-Mart try to tap into this market? Ethinic grocery stores are unbeatable for some things. I'd love to have one that's less than a 30 min. drive from my house.

It will be interesting to see if they sell "real" ethnic foods, or simply re-labeled versions of their regular food.

I've never tried it, but I hear the Mexican pop made with sugar cane is fantastic.

I don't believe folks are complaining about selling of ethnic foods...
it's the spanish signs..
chinese store ..english signs ? doubtful..
poor china man goes to Wally land ..he out of luck bigtime..
everything be spamish or ingles..how come no Chinese..
lots of Chinese here ..
difference ..most can speak & read english..
they made the EFFORT !

Rika

I love the Asian grocery stores. Affordable fresh finfish and shellfish, great noodles and sauces, interesting veggies, lots of bizarre fruit jellos and drinks that the kids like to try. Great selection of live oysters, clams, crabs, lobster. The only thing is that now I'm avoiding frozen fish from China as I'm doubtful about the standards in that industry. The Japanese stores have particularly high quality fish and meat. And where else can you get, say, a pound of chicken hearts, for when you have a hankering for fried chicken hearts? Lately I do most of my grocery shopping at Costco, Trader Joes, and the local asian stores. Spend a lot less time in Safeway and Whole Foods.

You've had it, but it was probably 20-30 yrs. ago when it was sold in every vending machine.

The local Chinese market also sells almond juice in cans by the case, which is soooo awesome and you can't get it anywhere else. Strangely, I've seen some of the best and most obscure east European beers sold at Asian markets. I've not seen Radeberger sold anywhere in the U.S. except for at a local Vietnamese store and it's less than $8 for a six-pack.

Me too! And as for the mexican soda, it rocks. I drink coffee and water, but when I want something else I tend to buy that.

Give them a tast of their own medicine...shop there regularly and speak lots of english. Everytime you see something in spanish, ask the manager to translate. Demand that they speak your language.

I actually have been to a Wal-Mart in China and it was kind of surreal. No one there spoke English and most of the stuff there was made in China except for all the fine hard liquor they had in the cigarette dept.

WM has made a science out of retailing. Every square foot in the store better produce or something else will be there quick. I don't frequent my local store but it was my second stock purchase 25 years ago (BUD was first).
Jim

is it true that minorities will be the majority by 2042?

What is the problem here? They are simply responding to another local grocery store, Fiesta. In Houston, based on population demographics, hispanics are the largest group, exceeding white non-hispanics. They are not a majority yet, just a plurality. So it seems like a smart idea for Walmart to cater to the people that shop in their stores.

Big friggin deal that they opening "bi-lingual" stores, they are bi-lingual already, you may also may find speakers of Mandarin, Farsi, or Tagalog.. Maybe Siamese, even that tick tock "Gods must be crazy" Language......

I can go to a small regional supermarket here in NY, and Spanish is the language you hear spoken.... I can go to the same supermarket in another nearby town, and English is spoken... In either store I can ask question in either Spanish or English.. and be answered in whatever language I asked the question in..

Apparently mountains can be made of the most inconsequential molehills

It has to do with the exchange rate.

Might be that the ones tagging the products are...hispanic? Built in discount...

Oh Great now the Chinese are buying up towns.
We already owe them a gazillion trillion dollars.
LOL

Only if you are HISPANIC.

I dont see a problem. And for some of us small town folk a WM is a DAM fine store.

¡Si usted no puede batirlos, ensámblelos!

























If you can't beat them, join them!

You Wall Mart 'haters' are endlessly amusing.

Stop complaining and get aboard ...buy the stock (about 20 years ago) :p

Annual revenues of 400 billion (exceeds the country of Norway's entire GDP.)
7000 stores worldwide.
Fortune 500, number one spot for six of the last seven years.
Best performing stock in 2008 (up 18 percent)

...you may not want to shop there, you may not like the business model, but ignore those numbers at your own financial peril.