Little Neck Biz to Walmart: "Not In Our Backyard"

Confident a recession-weary New York City will be more welcoming the second time around to the allure of low prices and scores of new jobs, big-box retailer Walmart will again make its case for a store in the five boroughs.

In a hearing initially scheduled for Tuesday, the City Council will consider input from the community and area business interests on Walmart's plans  Jan. 12.

The move comes more than three years after the company identified several sites, including a former Caldor store in Flushing, for expansion into the city. At the time, Walmart's proposed city locations resulted in community outcry, as well as an intense lobbying campaign on the part of labor interests objecting to the retail giant's comparatively low wages and lack of healthcare coverage for its workers.

Despite higher pay and the rollout of a healthcare plan for Walmart employees since the company's last city bid in 2006, Little Neck community leaders, small businesses and shoppers alike remained opposed to the retailer's expansion into the borough.

"People do like to get things cheaply, but not at the expense of exploiting workers," said Jerry Iannece, chairman of Community Board 11.

Thought Walmart so far has not identified a proposed location, employees at least one Little Neck business, , are concerned any future outpost of the self-proclaimed "low-price leader" will draw even more customers away from the store.

"Walmart is a terrible idea... it'd kill all the local businesses here," said salesman David Mendez. "Home Depot is bad enough."

Another employee at the long-running Little Neck establishment, store manager Michael Steinberg, made another case against Walmart.

"There's no customer service at those places," Steinberg said. "We know about every item here."

Despite the potential impact on small businesses like North Shore Hardware, Walmart's prospects at expansion into the five boroughs seem rosier during today's jobless recovery than they did during the relatively fat economic times of 2006.

Indeed, Walmart's promise of slightly-above minimum wage jobs with some healthcare coverage may prove to be a powerful incentive, especially in disadvantaged parts of the borough where unemployment easily tops 10 percent.

"The jobs are the only pro I can think of in bringing Walmart here," said Susanne, a Deepdale resident. "But that argument goes away when you consider the jobs lost at the small businesses on Northern that will go away once it's here."