While I’m not sure Tyler warrants them, we now have three Wal-Mart Supercenters in town. The idea of one stop discount shopping is a fine idea. I’m a firm believer in free enterprise capitalism. So if I’m critical of the store it’s not about politics. It is about the quality of the product and care given by the employees to address customer needs as well as maintain the store.

The South Broadway and the Troup locations are pretty nice stores. Although they are not the Wal-Mart’s I usually shop, I find that they are orderly and the employees are generally fairly knowledgeable. I have heard the retail giant often poked fun at for its greeters. Not unlike walking into church there is usually someone there to welcome and if necessary point the customer in the direction of what he or she is looking for. This is not something I require in a department store but it is nice. The employees at these locals are mostly neat in appearance, and reflect positively on their perspective stores.

This is not my impression of the highway 64 location. Upon entering the store the customer is “greeted” by an employee who stands and listlessly stares in the direction those entering the building. The store’s appearance is another problem. It is generally disorganized, and what is more, the employees usually know very little about the products they sell. On more than one occasion, I’ve had workers tell me they were unable to find what I was looking for and simply leave me to search the aisle on my own. And then there are the customers themselves… I guess I’ve just never experienced the joy that loitering in a department store can bring.

As a rule, I like Wal-Mart’s low prices and their community involvement. The company is a good company, but some of the local outlets need some serious quality control. In comparison with other companies like Target who’s stores are always neat and the employees are always attractive, Wal-Mart has its work cut out for it. For those who have a choice of Supercenters I would shy away from the 64 location. Better yet, try shopping on line at www.walmart.com.