Wal-Mart's NYC Troubles

You kind of know that the Walmonster is having its share of troubles when one of the premier business magazines writes in its latest issue on the company's difficulties in finding a suitable site in NYC. That's just what Forbes has done and the story focuses on the fact that, "After a number of false starts, Wal-Mart Stores is planning to launch in New York City-the five boroughs, and especially the juicy, consumer-driven world of Manhattan."

Well, were almost as breathless as Forbes' prose. The article, however, doesn't offer much in the way of exciting news. No location is identified and Wal-Mart's spokesman Phil Serghini "admits that the company must still persuade some sketptical city council members and a less than friendly local union."

Some? How about 51 out of the 51 members of the body? As the Alliance's Richard Lipsky told the magazine, the only viable option at the present time is for the store to find a location that doesn't need to go through the land use review process. Any other avenue is going to run into a political buzz-saw.