The massive Port Angeles Walmart Supercenter is open for business.  The new supercenter was built in the same location of the old K-Mart that went out of business.  The center is surprisingly large.  The size is not so obvious when you drive into the parking lot, but as you walk into this Port Angeles Walmart Supercenter, you realize that it might be a good idea to have a golf cart.  Unless you intend to walk a couple of miles for exercise, you will want to make sure that you don’t need items from opposite ends of the store.  If you thought the Sequim Home Depot or Sequim Costco is big, think again.  Both of those stores might fit inside this Walmart Supercenter.

Port Angeles Walmart

Port Angeles Walmart

The Port Angeles Walmart Supercenter is welcomed by some locals and cursed by others.  It is the continuing battle between the big box store and the small local businesses owners.  It is a very real battle, and Walmart has an extraordinary advantage when it comes to buying large volumes at big discounts and passing those discounts on to consumers in ways that local businesses cannot.  While many of us as local business owners want to and do support other local businesses, sometimes the decision regarding our own finances pulls us into Walmart.  This is true especially in this recession, and it is also the reason this Port Angeles Walmart Supercenter is already very busy.

Port Angeles Walmart Prices

A simple example will perhaps make the point.  I do most of my grocery shopping at Sunny Farms in Sequim.  This is an incredible family owned organic grocery store, and just about every single item I purchase there tastes substantially better than the mass produced and processed foods at my local Safeway.  Of course, QFC is a few levels above Safeway in terms of quality food, but so are the prices.  The prices at Sunny Farms are higher than either of those stores, but the quality is substantially better, too.  Sunny Farms has an organic cereal that I really enjoy called Autumn Wheat by Kashi.  It is over $6.00 a box (17.5 ounces) at Sunny Farms, but this exact same cereal is sold at the Port Angeles Walmart for $3.50.  I was surprised they even carried it, but at almost half the price.  I admit I buy several boxes of it at Walmart to save a lot of money.  You can bet that Sunny Farms’ own wholesale purchase price of this cereal is more than Walmart’s retail price.  This is why a small business cannot get into a price war with Walmart.

I’m certain that many will be shopping for Christmas gifts at Walmart.  Local businesses continue to close, and I observed another business closed and empty in Port Angeles yesterday.  Local businesses are going to have to be creative and grab ahold of technology and Internet marketing to survive and thrive.  They cannot and should not try to compete on prices.  Walmart will win that battle every time.  The battle must be won on quality, customer service, and other levels.

If you haven’t seen it already, you’ve got to see this massive Port Angeles Walmart Supercenter just for the shear entertainment.

Last Updated on September 4, 2011 by Chuck Marunde