Javier Angulo, Walmart spokesman, answers questions at Thursday night's meeting. Photos by Laura Monteros.
Walmart spokesman is peppered with questions from a packed house, says it will apply for a liquor license a year after opening
by Laura Monteros
Extra chairs and standing-room-only in the Jackson Elementary School auditorium could not accommodate all the people who turned out for Thursday’s informational meeting on the Walmart Neighborhood Market. More than 200 people crowded into the space, and some stood on the porch outside.
Since the Walmart entry into Altadena is a done deal, the meeting was, as Altadena Town Council member Tecumseh Shackelford told Altadenablog, to tell people what’s going on, “to hear from Walmart themselves” instead of what’s been posted online.
Town councilman Brent Musson emphasized, “This meeting is not to decide whether Walmart should be here or not. We’re all one community and Walmart’s going to be a part of the community.” He opined that all the internet chatter was disruptive. “At this point, we can’t stop Walmart, it’s how we work with them,” he said.
Walmart is slated to open a Walmart Neighborhood Market on Lincoln Avenue and Figueroa Street in early 2013.
Working locally
Javier Angulo, a local boy from Whittier who now lives in Lincoln Heights, spoke on behalf of Walmart. He is the director of community affairs, public affairs and government relations for the retail giant here in los Angeles.
“My passion has always been about equity and access,” he said. “The property owner said it had been hard to find a tenant. No one wanted to go there.” The site is too small for a regular grocery store, but at 28,000 square feet, an acceptable size for a Walmart Neighborhood Market, he said.
Angulo emphasized Walmart’s commitment to local suppliers, which can grow local jobs, and to opening job centers to prepare people in the community for Walmart jobs. “I am 100 percent committed, and the company backs me up, that jobs are [advertised] to locals,” he said.
Walmart job centers partner with existing organizations. In Altadena, they’ve spoken with a couple organizations, and Neighbors Empowering Youth on Fair Oaks is a top candidate, according to Shackelford.
Altadenablog spoke with John Smith, president and founder of NEY, about the possibility of that organization hosting a job center. “One of the things that would do,” he said, “a lot of people would realize NEY is more than a technology center. It’s a learning center.” In addition to teaching youth to rebuild computers to place in low-income homes, NEY teaches job skills, Smith said.
“The reason why the council approached us is we’re the best-kept secret in Altadena. It would let people know about us,” Smith said.
Questions pro and con
Town councilmember Allan Wasserman moderated a short question-and-answer session after Angulo’s presentation, holding commenters to two minutes each and keeping order in the audience. The first speakers were limited to residents of Census Tract 4610, represented by Musson and Shackelford, where the market will be located.
Of the 20 or so people who spoke, about half were opposed to a Walmart and the rest were divided between supportive and undecided. Concerns most often cited were traffic, wages, and loss of jobs and small businesses. Those who supported Walmart mentioned the need for more grocery stores and the blight caused by empty buildings.
One woman stated that she doesn’t like Super King, and she welcomes Walmart as “something nice” for the community.
Ben Davis said, “I’ve lived here 30 years, and the building has been empty since I’ve been here.” [There was a Disabled American Veterans thrift store in the location for several years in the mid-1990's] “I welcome Walmart, because I can just walk around the corner.” he continued. “A parking lot on the corner of Lincoln and Figueroa don’t do the community no good.”
Local business, Walmart employees speak
ACONA founder Elliot Gold stated that for every two jobs Walmart creates, 2.8 local jobs are lost. The 60 full-time jobs proposed for the site would result in 24 job losses, he said. Later, he pulled this reporter aside to express his disappointment in the way the meeting was run.
The 30-minute limit for the comment time was too short, he said, and was not announced until after the meeting was underway. He lamented that people were not allowed to bring signs into the meeting. Quoting Ed Bacon, the rector of All Saints’ Church in Pasadena, he said, “You can’t have a community meeting without a community meeting.”
Meredith Miller, co-owner of Webster’s Community Pharmacy on Lake Avenue, said she was not opposed to a Walmart, but urged people, “Shop your local businesses. Put your money where your mouth is. Our local businesses need your support.”
Katherine Ware waited her turn patiently, then peppered Angulo with questions. “Where do your fresh fruits and vegetables come from?” Angulo responded that Walmart does more local sourcing than any other retailer. “What is full time?” Angulo responded, 32 hours a week.
“Does every employee start at the average wage?” Angulo said no, but half of Walmart employees make more than the average of $12.79 an hour, and half make less (Ed. note: which would actually make it a median wage). He said earlier that this is 30 percent higher than the average California minimum wage. The math works that figure out to $9.84. Minimum wage in California is $8 an hour.
“I have worked for Walmart for four and half years,” Ware said, quietly but earnestly. “As of January, my wage was $10 an hour.”
Traffic issues, community values
Traffic was a major concern, especially for the three or four residents of Alberta Street two blocks south of Figueroa. One resident noted that there is only one lane of traffic each way with a center turn lane, and it is already a dangerous intersection. “What is Walmart going to do to mitigate the extra traffic and extra danger?” she asked.
Another resident who said she was not opposed to the Walmart commented that the neighborhood businesses, who have only street parking, are concerned that Walmart shoppers will take the spaces in front of their businesses. A school crossing guard who staffs the corner at Lincoln and Crosby was also not opposed to the Walmart, but was concerned about the added traffic.
At first, Musson deflected such questions, saying traffic is not a town council issue, and that “a study can’t be done until the traffic exists.” Shackelford added, “The county will take care of traffic. That’s what they do.” By the end of the meeting, however, Musson promised that at the next ATC meeting, either he or Shackleford would make a motion to ask the county to do a study prior to the opening of the store.
Perhaps the most unusual comment of the night came from Paul Bracho, who lives on Alberta. He attended UC Santa Barbara with Angulo, and with a smile reminded the Walmart executive of the many community projects and social issues they had worked on together.
“What are you going to do for the community?” he asked. He noted the John Muir Drum Corps holds fundraisers weekly nearby. “Are you going to offer scholarships for the drumline?” Community-based programs, summer jobs for youth, football equipment were on Bracho’s list of possibilities. “What kind of commitment are you going to make to the community?”
Liquor license is planned
Angulo responded, “Go and talk to the council of any of the communities that has a Walmart. Ask what kind of partner Walmart has been. We have an extensive summer youth employment program.” He said Walmart will “talk to folks to see what the community needs.”
The young man behind Bracho asked why Walmart was opening a grocery so close to Super King, rather than an electronics store or something else that would meet the needs of the community. Angulo responded that the site will be a “site to store” location, which means one can place an order online for any Walmart product and have it delivered to the store for pick up.
As Angulo was slipping out to attend another meeting, Altadenablog caught him and asked about a liquor license for the site, since it wasn’t included in the historic use of the property. This reporter reminded him that many in the community are concerned about the number of liquor stores in Altadena.
Saying he is aware of that, he stated, “We’re not going to apply on opening, but we will apply eventually. I’m committed to waiting a year to apply.” The neighbors may end up supporting a liquor license for the Walmart Neighborhood Market, he said, “because we can take over another store’s license.” That would result in closing one of the free-standing liquor stores. “People like that, because Walmart is more secure.”
