The plan for Wal-Mart was to expand into highly populated urban areas, such as New York City, the world capitol of consumerism.
But after losing its first battle in September to open a flagship store in the East New York section of Brooklyn, and after considering the timing of the mayoral primaries in which several of the Democratic candidates support blocking the retailer’s entry into the city, Wal-Mart has decided to scale back its lobbying efforts in New York City, reported The New York Times.
From the beginning, the store has faced intense push-back from local elected officials. For those that oppose the retail giant's entry, they point to the company's low-wage jobs and the huge potential for putting unionized supermarkets out of business.
But it’s not yet over for Wal-Mart: Sources say the company does not plan to give up and is still interested in sites already zoned for retail.
In fact, Steven Restivo, a Wal-Mart spokesman, said the company “remains committed to opening stores all across the U.S., including in large cities.” And Wal-Mart will continue to evaluate opportunities in New York City, he added.
But City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, a mayoral candidate and a long-time outspoken opponent of Wal-Mart opening in the city, said, “As long as Wal-Mart’s behavior remains the same, they’re not welcome in New York City.
“New York isn’t changing. Wal-Mart has to change.”
