I am more than happy about Walmart "Grocery" store looking to open in Somerville. I can only wish for a "Super" Walmart someday as well!

A grocery store on the other side of I-93 isn't useful to Somerville, no matter what chain it belongs to. Who will be able to walk to it?

I believe some of the thinking is that it would, in the future, serve people who move into Assembly Square housing units. But until those are built (and even after they're built, I imagine) it does seem that most customers would get there by car. Just based on the location.

Also, just got off the phone with an organizer for tonight's meeting. It's at 6:30 p.m., not 6:00 p.m.

but this is separated from the future Assembly Row by Home Depot, an office building, an abandoned Loews cinema, and a bunch of parking lots that aren't heavily used. I can't see people walking to this market from that direction, either. So it's useless.

In general, I think it's difficult to walk to a number of Somerville's grocery stores. About two weeks ago I saw people running across McGrath Highway with traffic whizzing by. Judging from their bags, they had just been to Stop & Shop. I think most people drive there. Same with Shaws. Market Basket and the Johnnie's Foodmasters are walkable, I suppose.

Oh, I see...if you can't walk to it its "useless"?? SInce you can't walk to it... why do you even care what goes in there? It may be useless to YOU but not for many of us with a car and families we have to feed on a budget. Who made you an authority on what's useless?

I wonder how easily bicyclists would be able to reach the store. Ron: Do you know from being on the Bicycle Committee what sorts of lanes or infrastructure are planned (if any) to go around there? Otherwise, I imagine that many Somerville residents will be getting there by car to do grocery shopping in bulk.

Carol, we already have Market Basket for people on a budget; their prices are lower than anyone else's, and they are much more conveniently located. If Wal-Mart really wants to improve Somerville, they should move into the former Winter Hill Star Market, as that neighborhood is current lacking for supermarkets.

There will be bike lanes on Assembly Square Drive and a new bike path alongside the Orange Line next to Ikea -- but neither of those is much help to someone trying to get to the former Circuit City site. (Sarah Spicer at City Hall may know more than I do about this.)

Ron, your statement that "We already have a Market Basket for people on a budget" is just ridiculous. EVERYONE wants to save money. Do you like giving your hard earned dollars to Stop and Shop or Shaws? NO......there is nothing wrong with healthy competition. Market Basket is small and overcrowded as it is. Their parking lot is jam packed most of the time when people are stopping there on their way home from work.... and forget the weekend days...it's crazy. We need another discount grocery store in Somerville. I am not opposed at all to a discount grocery store opening in Winter Hill (old Star Market site). Actually that site is closer to my home. I believe the city was trying to get a grocery store to occupy that site but there were no takers. Not an option at this point. WELCOME WALMART GROCERY TO SOMERVILLE!!

I go to Market Basket all the time. I'd much rather see a second one at Winter Hill than a Wal-Mart at the ex-Circuit City, which doesn't really serve any local neighborhood.