Oakland Walmart store among 269 set to close

[KamaAina]

http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Walmart-to-close-nearly-269-stores-worldwide-6762457.php

Walmart will close 269 stores by the end of the month, with the Oakland location among those on the international list, company officials announced Friday.

In Oakland, employees and city officials expressed shock, and some speculated that the city’s minimum-wage law played a part in the decision to shutter the store there. The Walmart in San Jose, which also boosted the minimum wage, will shut as well. The two stores in San Leandro, which has no minimum-wage law that supersedes the state’s, will remain open.

“I think it really is a little discouraging,” said Oakland Councilman Larry Reid, who learned of the closure in an early-morning phone call. “The minimum wage in the city of Oakland played a factor, was one of the factors, they considered in closing the stores.”

The loss of Walmart deals a significant blow to Oakland as the giant retailer ranked among the city’s top 25 sales-tax producers. The city, however, said it was barred by law from disclosing how much sales-tax revenue the store provided.

Editor's note: There is a newer Walmart closer to the center of San Jose that is not closing. But no other big-box chains like Target are closing stores here. (The Target serving Oakland is actually across the street in Emeryville.)

[olddots]

1. Walmart has been a great way for poor people to get poorer

as the rich get richer .

[Wellstone ruled]

2. Stores to be closed are in areas of poverty.

[Mr.Bill]

3. If only we had known

that it was that easy to run Walmart out of town.

[KamaAina]

4. Thread win!

[mackerel]

5. LMAO!!!!!!!!!!!