Wal-Mart Abandons Plans for Somerville Store
The retail giant will not build in Watertown, either, according to the retail giant.
Wal-Mart will not be opening a grocery store in Somerville's Assembly Square.
Steve Restivo, a spokesperson for Wal-Mart, sent Somerville Patch the following statement about the company's decision to stay out of the city.
While we continue to seek growth opportunities in Massachusetts, we are suspending our pursuit of the former Circuit City site in Somerville as well as the Arsenal Street site in Watertown. One of the primary deciding factors on any given site – whether it’s in an urban, suburban or rural market – is that it makes sense from a business perspective and contributes to our bottom line. We look at many factors when making a determination including the size of the existing structure. In the case of the Somerville and Watertown sites, we made a business decision that the projected cost of investment would ultimately exceed our expected return.
While we had not yet submitted proposals for either location, we understand that this news will be disappointing to our customers. We appreciate the positive conversations we had with Mayor Curtatone throughout this process and appreciate his willingness to be supportive of new economic development opportunities in Somerville.
We remain committed to opening stores all across the U.S. - including Greater Boston - and look forward to soon opening new Supercenters in Saugus and Raynham as well as expanding our Walpole and Avon locations. We continue to see tremendous growth opportunities for the business and think our stores can be part of the solution for families and communities here and all across the country.
Thomas Champion, a spokesperson for the city of Somerville, said the retail giant informed the city earlier on Friday about its decision.
Wal-Mart expressd concern about not being able to build from scratch and about the footprint of the former Circuit City building, near Home Depot, the location the company was considering, Champion said.
Champion noted that Wal-Mart had not formerly come forward with a proposal in Somerville, but said the company was "incredibly straight forward, open and responsive throughout this process."
Wal-Mart's unofficial proposal was to open a Neighborhood Market grocery store, which would have served the Assembly Square area.
Champion said, "It's absolutely the case that we think that would be a good location for a market to provide produce and fresh groceries."
He added, "We don't expect that this will mean the site won't get used."
More on Wal-Mart's plans in Somerville
Mayor Talks Wal-Mart's Somerville Plans on CNBC
Chamber of Commerce Urges Open Mind on Wal-Mart Grocery Store
Most Somerville Patch Readers Don't Want Wal-Mart
Poll: Do You Want Wal-Mart in Somerville?
Marie Manis
8:07 pm on Friday, June 15, 2012
All I can say is AMEN! I'm gad Wal-Mart is moving on! Somerville does not need another Big Box that neither cares about nor invests in our community. Without a doubt, the Assembly Sq site would be a good location for a produce and fresh grocery market to serve the community. I think we need to look more locally at our own Farmer's Markets and other local possibilities.
mplo
9:57 pm on Friday, June 15, 2012
Me too, Marie! We needed a Wal-Mart here in Somerville like we needed a hole in the head! Get my drift? Assembly Square would be a good location for a grocery store to serve Somerville and the nearby community, but Wal*Mart...forget it. I, too, am relieved that they're moving on!
david mokal
9:02 pm on Friday, June 15, 2012
Send it to Malden we need a Wallmarts Love that store.
mplo
9:58 pm on Friday, June 15, 2012
To each their own, david!
Carol
12:24 pm on Saturday, June 16, 2012
Yes, to each their own. If you dont't want to shop there, just don't. There are many people who do want to shop at Walmart and save money. I hope they come to Medford. Medford can use the tax dollars more than us! Right? Our residents like to speak against big business and allow our valuable land sit vacant for months and years!
mplo
3:36 pm on Saturday, June 16, 2012
May I make a suggestion, Carol?
You might want to rent the documentary film "Wal*Mart; The High Cost of Low Pricing", which gives an excellent insight as to why lots of people don't want Wal*Mart coming to their town(s).
Matt C
2:21 pm on Saturday, June 16, 2012
To bad they could not have opened up at the vacant star market in winter hill.
mplo
3:33 pm on Saturday, June 16, 2012
Frankly, Matt C, I'm glad that Wal*Mart decided against building here in Somerville. They met with resistance for some good, legitimate reasons; Wal*Mart is known as one of the worst, if not the worst independent business killer, their labor policies are just plain rotten, and, all too often, so is their merchandise. As a 24-year resident of Somerville, I don't want a business with such a (well-earned) horrific reputation coming to this city..at all.
If you have a DVD player, I'd recommend renting the documentary film "Wal*Mart; The High Cost of Low Pricing." This film presents an excellent insight as to what it's all about. So does Bill Quinn's book "How Wal*Mart is Destroying America, and What You Can Do About it."
Jay
3:12 pm on Saturday, June 16, 2012
I personally like the empty space just sitting there. I think it would be nicer to just leave it sit like the great space we have on Winter Hill. I love that run down look, it's great for the city!
mplo
3:34 pm on Saturday, June 16, 2012
I don't know, Jay. Personally, that empty building is a real eyesore, plus I think it might well become a haven for drug addicts and other dangerous people if it were left sitting empty long enough.