Would Walmart Help Alleviate D.C.s Food Desert Problem?
Photo by andrewmtu.UPDATE (6:35 p.m.): As reported minutes ago in the Washington Post, Walmart has announced that they plan to open four locations in the District. The four sites will be located at the former Curtis Chevrolet along Georgia Avenue NW, the intersection of New York Avenue and Bladensburg Road NE; inside a new mixed-use development on New Jersey Avenue NW and at the intersection of East Capitol Street and 58th Street SE. The company says that they hope to open the stores, which would employ 1,200 people, by 2012. There are plenty of legitimate reasons for Washingtonians to oppose Walmart’s arrival in the District of Columbia. Whether you oppose big box retail as but a precursor to vacant concrete slabs and unused space, or find the company’s labor policies appalling, or think that Walmart’s arrival will signal an end to D.C.’s small business renaissance — let’s just say that there is no shortage of arguments you can make against the company. Of course, there are plenty of
