Walmart Coming to Downtown L.A.

By Elina Shatkin Mon., Feb. 27 2012 at 6:00 AM

Pasta sauce at Walmart

Walmart is coming to downtown Los Angeles. The big box retail giant plans to open a grocery store on the northern edge of downtown L.A., reports the Los Angeles Business Journal. The 33,000-square-foot market will be located at the northwest corner of Cesar Chavez and Grand avenues inside the ground floor of a residential complex for seniors.

The proposed DTLA store, which is part of the chain's strategy to open smaller stores in urban environments, is far from a done deal. Although the Arkansas-based company has signed a lease on the space at 701 W. Cesar Chavez Ave., labor activists are already crying foul.

There are already 28 Walmart stores in Los Angeles County (five of which are in the city of Los Angeles), but some of those have faced fierce opposition.

Days ago, the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 770, which represents supermarket workers, held a rally to oppose approval of a Walmart store in Burbank, reports the Los Angeles Times. Walmart is not unionized.

In 2004, when Walmart wanted to build a superstore in Inglewood, it met stiff resistance from local officials. The company took its case directly to voters, who rejected a store-sponsored ballot initiative that would have waived various zoning and environmental restrictions for the company.

Walmart hopes it will fare better with smaller stores and plans to begin construction this summer at the DTLA location. We'll see.

Walmart Stores / Flickr

Walmart checkout

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Tags:

Downtown L.A., DTLA, Elina Shatkin, Inglewood, Labor, Store, Wal-Mart, Walmart

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Abelsonxx

I agree!!! At least wal Mart has jobs to give. All these little shops don't hire anyone. I love wal Mart and can't wait til it opens here!

guest

www.peopleofwalmart.com/

Guest

So, the labor/Democratic establishment in LA is going to fight against a business trying to bring jobs to a city with unemployment still cracking 12%. Jesus. Why do voters keep voting against their best interests in favor of these arrogant clowns? "What's the Matter With California?", indeed.

Mr. Lib E. Ral

Right, because the Con-Servative <<<--- Notice the seperated "CON" - clown show on the right is the "Greatest show on earth". (insert laugh track here)

Phil Robles

In the end, they will destroy jobs though by killing all surrounding mom and pop shops.

Guest

What shops? DTLA is becoming a city where people can actually live (and not just on the streets). This is a good sign. Other stores will open in the area. This just shows how stupid and selfish unions are.

Dylan

Fuck Wal-Mart

Guest

Fuck Dylan, the Unions and

All the other liberal ass Walmart haters.

If you don't like them don't shop there, simple as that, but don't try to tell the rest of us the, the vast majority by the way, where we should and shoudn't shop.

I would bet the majority of the places you shop have identical practises as Walmart.

Vote with you dollars and your business ....or lack of it , Let Your choices decide what is needed and what is not.

Mr. Lib E Ral

Don't you just the people who call us liberal walmart haters and says: "Don't try to tell the rest of us, where to shop", as this person probably votes for those on the right who's primary agenda is to tell people how to live their lives and right now, as I type this is leading a war against women being able to make their own decisions. Yeah, we liberals are definitely the problem. Sure!!!