Report: Wal-Mart Won't Take Manhattan
BENTONVILLE, Ark. -- New York City's outer boroughs may be as close as Wal-Mart tries to get to Manhattan, according to comments the retailer's c.e.o. and chairman made earlier this week in an interview with The New York Times.
In the interview, Lee Scott was quoted as saying that trying to conduct business in New York would be so expensive that "I don't think it is worth the effort. I don't care if we are ever here." Wal-Mart officials followed up by saying that Scott's references to "New York" meant Manhattan, not the entire city.
Wal-Mart has never tried to get into Manhattan, spokesman Kevin Thornton told The Associated Press in a follow-up interview. However, he confirmed that Wal-Mart would like to get into other boroughs if "we can find the right arrangement, because we know we could serve those communities very well."
Wal-Mart failed in its attempts to open stores in Rego Park, Queens in 2004 and on Staten Island last year. The retailer ran aground due to a campaign by union-backed groups in New York.
Last July, Wal-Mart opened an urban-style Supercenter in White Plains, N.Y., a New York City suburb. Other stores in close proximity to New York include those in Kearny, Secaucus, and Woodbridge, N.J.; and Valley Stream and Westbury, Long Island.
In the interview, Lee Scott was quoted as saying that trying to conduct business in New York would be so expensive that "I don't think it is worth the effort. I don't care if we are ever here." Wal-Mart officials followed up by saying that Scott's references to "New York" meant Manhattan, not the entire city.
Wal-Mart has never tried to get into Manhattan, spokesman Kevin Thornton told The Associated Press in a follow-up interview. However, he confirmed that Wal-Mart would like to get into other boroughs if "we can find the right arrangement, because we know we could serve those communities very well."
Wal-Mart failed in its attempts to open stores in Rego Park, Queens in 2004 and on Staten Island last year. The retailer ran aground due to a campaign by union-backed groups in New York.
Last July, Wal-Mart opened an urban-style Supercenter in White Plains, N.Y., a New York City suburb. Other stores in close proximity to New York include those in Kearny, Secaucus, and Woodbridge, N.J.; and Valley Stream and Westbury, Long Island.