agreed

Agreed as well. Too many empty spaces to satisfy this need around here that there are more than sufficient.

I do think Walmart will do well at the ComEd location, and we in NBK would benefit from the additional tax revenue that is now going to Glenview (from Costco - where most of NBK seems to shop). However, I also like your idea: great access from Lake Cook Road as well as Waukegan Road. The downside is the impact to existing stores in that mall: Jewel, TJ Maxx, Bed Bath & Beyond, Carters...

.

Really? You obviously don't live on or frequent the east side of town. 24/7 would be very disruptive to the neighborhoods not to mention the traffic on Sunset Ridge, Skokie Blvd, Frontage Rd, Willow Rd and Dundee. These roads are already too conjested and an additional 6000 cars per day and 24 semis a week is insane.

Could not have said it better. Never have and never will support walmart for these reasons.

Obviously millions and millions of people disagree because they shop there all the time. While what you say might be true, if the employees don't want to be there -- then they should just quit. Right? People apply to work there, they accept the salary and working conditions, and they get by. If you don't like it -- then leave. Simple!

Walmart is a vulture on workers who are desparate for work. Their labor practices are obscene, and there are class action lawsuits in 10 states. That is reality. People will still work there as they need the money, and people shop there who are counting pennies, I get it. It doesn't make it right. There is a huge backlash against Walmart everywhere, no one wants them to build in "their back yards"....

I'm for the struggling people who need to save every penny they can, but to effect change there must be some standing up by the community. IF Walmart does ask to build in Northbrook, Northbrook should make it mandatory that they pay a decent wage, and part time workers are not allowed to work more than their maximum number of hours and if they do, they are to be deemed full time and given full benefits.

If no one speaks up for the oppressed, when its your turn, no one will speak up for you.

I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.
Elie Wiesel

Go ahead, argue with Elie Wiesel.....

Have you ever been a female Walmart employee? Do you know one personally? Don't always believe everything you read. A lot of the "worst employer ever" propaganda is published by unions who want a piece of the employees' salaries. I DO personally know Walmart employees who are very happy to work there and do not aspire to management positions. Career paths are available to female employees if that is the employee's goal. Not everyone in Northbrook is college-educated and affluent. Walmart would provide job opportunities close to home for many of these residents. You should go to a Walmart store and take time to talk with a cashier or shelf-stocker to get the TRUE employment story instead of sitting home and googling anything negative you can find about Walmart.

"Being Walmert is the worst employer ever".
Much worse than Apple/Foxcom!
$8.89 an hour @ McDonald's vs. $11.75 an hour @ Wal-Mart. We hate those non-union Wal-Marts!

The difference between Costco and Wallyworld is that Costco has a gazillion members paying a membership fee, in addition to the profit they make on the items sold. Wallyworld has no membership fee to fund higher salaries.

Costco has 142,000 employees, 618 locations worldwide, and over 55 million members paying about $55/year/each.

Walmart has around 2 million employees, 8500 stores in 55 countries...

So for Walmart to "raise its wage" results in a very high cost to the Company. Recall that it's no just the increased wage, but also the increased amount of taxes that the company is responsible for paying on behalf of their employees (FICA, Medicare...) - figure another 20 - 30% on top of the wage for taxes/benefits.

And when you get right down to it - there's plenty of people around to take the job at the wage offered. Why should WalMart opt to pay more when they don't have to?

OMG - its in the frigging WASHINGTON POST NEWSPAPER - that link was to a newspaper article. Its just "not on the internet" and it is true.

A company that exhibits all the behaviors they have are criminal minded, whether innocent or guilty. They are scumbags.

You probably shop there, good for you. Your comments mirror the intelligence of the people in the people of walmart pictures.

this is more like a revenue waster.... bring in the tax dollars, not spend them on useless crap. northbrook does not need another anything in their park district. they have enough.

I agree Donald. There are plenty of companies that treat their employees poorly. However, as a single mother with a child in college and one in high school, price and value matter to me. While I would love to support and shop local small businesses, it is just not economically possible. I believe this Walmart would compete with consumers that already shop at the Target, Home Depot, Lowes and Costco in the area.

If you live in northbrook your not that poor and let me tell you on a Walmart salaries and your public aid that goes with it. There are not a lot of section 8 rentals here you won't be living in northbrook you will be in wheeling and and you can shop at the buffalo grove Walmart on lake cook rd.

Donald, Melissa, I agree. Noreen, you have been sold a bill of goods that is simply not true. There are a LOT of people in Northbrook and surrounding "NorthShore" communities that are struggling, struggling enough that a Walmart would be a blessing. Your attitude sounds snotty to me and quite frankly makes me sad. Northbrook residents should care about EACH OTHER, everyone, not just those that fit into the same mold. Your friends and neighbors are likely not always doing as well as you might think. Based on your reaction here I would guess that anyone you know who is struggling would do everything in their power to keep that fact hidden from you lest you suggest they move to another town because they can't "afford" to live in Northbrook on your terms. Additionally, while any community center is nice, Northbrook can't even fill the programs they currently offer. They cut park district classes every session...and a community center like you suggest would INCREASE taxes and TAKE revenue not bring it in.... That's the wrong direction for what the village needs... We need income, without raising taxes again. Like it or not Walmart would satisfy many needs of this village and it's residents.

Joe -- also consider the property tax revenue, not just the sales tax revenue. The property tax revenue will pay for these infrastructure upgrades (or the developer might even pay for some of them). The sales tax revenues are like icing on the cake for Northbrook.

Sure, you would need an extra police officer and maybe a paramedic, but the property tax revenues will make up for that. Not to mention you're not adding any children in the schools but the taxes are going directly to the schools.

Property tax revenue? HA! Surely you've heard of tax incentives being offered by municipalities to incentivize a business to locate there. The idea being that at some point, the incentive will go away but the business will stay and continue to operate there.

But unfortunately as WallyWorld and other retailers have proven - once the incentive goes away, it's no longer attractive to operate, and as P.T. Barnum observed so long ago "There's a sucker born every minute" - so invariably another municipality ponies up and says "Ummm, we'll give you X if you move here...".

So it doesn't bring much, if anything at all in property tax revenues. The sales tax is also debatable because they often set up a TIF to redevelop the whole site - so that doesn't help the City as a whole either. And then you have to absorb the increased costs - police/fire protection, infrastructure, roads, traffic signals, ridiculous traffic which means roads need to be expanded sooner rather than later, noise, pollution, and the inevitable drop in property values because no one wants to live next to a 24x7 monstrosity...

Forget this thing - put it in Deerbrook Mall - everything they need is already there. Just don't incentivize it and the town will be just fine. Otherwise, it's a complete rip off of the taxpayers.

David -- I might be opposed to this if any tax incentive deal that could be put on the table. If Walmart is trying to grease up the Nbk Board with positive feedback and pull some deal off the table at the last minute because Nbk refuses to give incentives -- I would not be surprised.

The difference here is Walmart is seeking this location versus the Village trying to lure them into the space. The location could not be better in my opinion. There are very few vacant parcels up and down the Edens that could accommodate a Walmart. If there is a win-win-win for Walmart, the Village and the community it would be a win for everyone.

Not all Walmarts 'pack up and go' when the incentives run out. I do not know the terms of this deal, but it would be highly unlikely for Walmart to spend millions of dollars building a super store to leave in 5 years to the other side of the highway. Not to mention the developer and/or Walmart would be stuck with a large vacant building and land.

Northbrook has only one TIF that was approved in 2006, but that is for another parcel of land on the NW corner of Skokie/Dundee. The parcel Walmart is eyeing does not fall under that TIF, as it is south of Dundee.

I personally think the Walmart would work great in either the Wonder/Best Buy location or their proposed Northbrook Location. However I think the Northbrook location would do much better and keep a good distance between their Wheeling location and the Niles (Touhy) location.

TJ, I've seen WalMart come in and scout locations many times. Once it gets around that they're scouting, then the negotiation starts - with the municipality, builders, building supply providers, etc. Typically some other municipality wants to try and lure them, so they start offering incentives....

I do agree w/you that putting them in Deerbrook Mall would be a good idea - lots of parking over there...

It doesn't matter where they come from .... they could come from Northbrook or the surrounding communities or from the City. Who cares? Last I checked the unemployment rates are still high, even in the Northshore. If you can't swallow your Northshore pride and work a minimum wage job when you are desperate for work, then you would be the definition of a snob.

You go TJ! I think I will just start posting.... "Yeah!" after each one of your posts to get my point across... Well said each time. :)

Bob -- Don't get me wrong -- Target is a good company. It's convenient to me. I just can't get in and out of that store without someone backing their car out without looking, cutting through the check-out line, giving dirty looks, children running around without their parents, observing shoppers being generally rude to the employees, etc..... it's just disgusting how some people treat others. A simple "excuse me", "thank you", "please" -- manners most of us learned in grade school but many people who live around here simply forgot about (and their children are no better).

Not that I haven't witnessed any or all of this over the years at HP Target but how is that any different from any other store just about anywhere in Chicagoland? Why is HP singled out?

No, its that they are a scumbag retailer...if they treated their workers fairly there would be no objections - this has nothing to do with brand and image.

You have a homeless family living with you but your concerned about a movie theater where you can have a nice meal and some wine? I'm confused by your stated and apparently conflicting positions.

Not everyone is cutting back and we are talking about tax dollars I was at a very nice theater that served dinner and wine and is a money maker for there community. It also has regular theaters attached to it with a nice selection of treats for the kids. I just don't think that a store that is know for its bad treatment of there employee should come here, I can't even see how they will fill all those jobs if they are underpaying people are you going to go be go work there I know I'm not. And most of the teen around the area that do work go to the mall and I don't know how many kids work these days with sports and other activities.

Whens it open where do I apply.

I didn't understand that one either who cares who shoppes with you.

Susie,

I believe he was referring to shopping in a location where there is little common courtesy exhibited by other shoppers and that the behaviors he has seen exhibited make it an unpleasant shopping experience. Unfortunately there are a lot of people in our general area who lack consideration for others... And he's correct that the HP Target seems to get more than their share... At least in my experience. Not a stereotype, a personal experience. For me, I'm not sure who causes that or why that particular store is like that but it is...

Wonder was a high-end toy store and was open for only a short while.

Yes Moe -- and now we are just "wondering" what will go in that location...

Moe, Wonder opened briefly in the previous Great Indoors location. It was delayed for financing many times and finally opened to lackluster reviews. The board went out of their way to accomodate them. It was a huge children's store and was promoted as the 'flagship store' for many other planned openings.

The last I heard there was a possibility of Jewel moving to the larger location but I have no idea if anything ever came of that....

Thank you anyway but it doesn't sound like we would get along too well. If you understand these situations so well then why would you suggest as you did earlier that "if you live in Northbrook you're not that poor" when you know that is not the case. Would the woman who lives with you appreciate a more affordable store nearby? Just sayin.....

Donna please tell me how many houses are there in northbrook that are under 100 k and not needing to be condemned . So let's understand no northbrook is not cheap you ant get a decent rental for under $1500 a month so that's what I was referring to. And thanks but I have enough real friends....

I agree with you we lost out on some big tax dollars there really sad. And I do not like Walmart and I admit it but I am mostly apposed to where they want to put it I think a bit north would be better and the 24 hour thing I don't like either. My god we just got our first few drive through in the last few years and now a 24 hour store. I am really just not a fan of the location I think it would be very congested for that kind of traffic in such a narrow area and once avian ther are houses very close. Just go north ny Zengler the street is wider and it would be safer for everyone and then the tax dollar would follow. But go to the village meeting and speak your mind there will be a lot of people going to the next meeting to speak there mins.

Ed I believe the parent company is trying to unload Jewel.

If Mariano's opens at Dundee and Skokie Blvd. Garden Fresh will go out of business. We do not need a Mariano's. at least at Wal Mart you can buy more than just groceries.

Totally misplaced usage of this quote.

totally not. Some are arguing we are the opposition to Walmart is the people who shop there, and its not. Its about how Walmart treats employees, doesn't pay them a fair wage, classifies them as part time and has them working full time to get out of paying benefits, and how women are not in any management position or even have a hope of it. They are criminals in how they do business and get around the rules and have been caught and are in trouble for bribes. Why should we let such a company of scumbags open shop locally?

It has nothing to do with who shops there, needs to shop there, or needs a job. I'm sure whomever needs a job would prefer being paid and treated fairly and not made to feel like a slave.

Debra, I think Walmart should take some real interest in you slandering them as "criminals".

Debra Gisby - Here's your post from earlier this morning. How can you now say it isn't the people that shop there that is the opposition?

Debra Gisby
7:25 am on Friday, December 14, 2012
yes, and we want to see more people like this: http://www.peopleofwalmart.com/photos/top-rated/
They've devoted a whole website to what you see in a Walmart.

You can't classify someone as "Part time" then make them work "full time" to get out of anything. You classify Full Time as 38+ hours, them as part time and then give them 36 hours a week - that's what all the big box retailers do.

If they don't want to incur the expense of benefits, that's the Company's business, not yours, not the Government's. If the employee doesn't like it, they're free to seek other employment. If it happens that the turnover costs exceed the amount of the benefits, then the Company may decide that it's cost effective to offer benefits - but they don't have to.

First off, Walmart faces criminal charges, so Richard, my saying they are criminals is not slander.

From what I've read of the claims made by claimants in the lawsuits against Walmart, part time workers work more than 40 hours a week and if they don't they are threatened with being fired. In some locations they have been locked in the stores overnight and not allowed to leave if they want or need to. While I am not a labor law specialist, I am a human being that knows right from wrong. Need proof? Read these:
http://www.latimes.com/business/money/la-fi-mo-walmart-temp-worker-suit-20121022,0,758869.story

http://www.atchisonpublishing.com/2012/12/11/walmart-labor-practices-lawsuit/

http://www.girardgibbs.com/blog/walmart-misclassifcation-settlement/

http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/12/03/wal-mart-pays-40m-to-settle-labor-lawsuit-in-massachusetts/

Walmart Unlikely To Face Formal Criminal Prosecution Over Bribery Allegations, Say Experts

Does it matter if they face formal criminal prosecution or not? Where is your humanity? If it quacks like a duck...

Just because they work more than 40 hrs a week doesn't mean they're classified as "full time". The individuals could be a part-time worker (classified as such) who was given the opportunity to work some extra hours because additional labor was needed in the store and so they picked up some extra hours. That doesn't mean that WalMart has to give that employee full-time benefits.

And so long as the employee is non-exempt (aka "hourly") working more than 40 hours a week means they have to be paid 1.5x their hourly wage for the overtime (so long as it exceeds a de minimus amount - typically that's 7 minutes or less).

I know the internal workings of Big Box retailers - and they manage their overtime very tightly because it increases their costs greatly. There's gotta be all kinds of approvals for OT, and if someone tries to game the system by punching out late - they end up losing their job because the managers get so much (ahem) for not managing their employees properly.

What an asshole you are - that is my last name.

I apologize Mr/Mrs Standards. It simply seemed that many negative comments where coming from names meant to elicit superior thinking like, "Com N. Sense". I do not work for Walmart and do not really care whether its a Walmart or another great use. I am also not trying to piss anyone off, I just hate cherry picking inane arguments to stop progress. I will tell you that I truly believe the single argument that could/will stop the Walmart implementation of this site is the impact on Sunset Ridge. The other humane, criminal, crime, scum and other equally incorrect arguments are worthless to the final decisions as Walmart can defend themselves quite well.

Erin, you live behind an expressway with thousands of cars and trucks passing by daily. You can't even go outside without hearing engines and unless you have good soundproofing you probably hear them inside as well. Walmart behind you is not going to change much. The housing market in that neighborhood is already depressed enough, having a Walmart there will likely only help -- not hurt.

Many of the comments here are "anti-Walmart" -- would everyone be blasting this proposal if it was a Target, or Kroger, Meijer, etc? Or is this just because of the name "Walmart" ? I'm curious....

I'd prefer a Nordstrom or Bloomingdales

I manage two residential properties that are rented out in East Northbrook and we are rehabbing one property there at the moment. I can guarantee you we will not be opposing this Walmart. This is much needed for the entire community. Our letters of support have already been sent to the Village on behalf of our management company.

What exactly is wrong with a drive through McDonalds?

The fact is that the face of retailing has changed in favor of chain stores. The old mom and pop stores of the past have been unable to compete except for some specialized areas. If you shop at any of the large grocers, bank at any of the large banks, or buy from any of the large department stores, you are part of the problem. If you buy from a local independent grocer, bank with a small family-owned community bank, and buy your clothing from a local boutique, you are unusual.

What killed Small Business was all the large and small shopping malls. YOU SHOP ALL THE LOCAL MOM& POP STORES? Dd you shop small businesses the Saturday after Thanksgiving?

Then call me unusual. I support local business. I would rather shop in a small store than a mega store. Yes Lucas- mom and pop stores.

I am assuming you are referring to "Main Street 'Mom and Pop' stores" (not small businesses in general). I'm trying to think of a 'Main Street' business in the 1 mile radius of the proposed location that would be directly impacted by a Walmart. You have plenty of big-box stores up on Skokie Blvd/Lake Cook. But the Mom and Pop stores have long since vacated Northbrook for chain stores and/or highly specialty retail stores that have products Walmart does not usually carry.

We're talking about Northbrook here .... not middle-of-nowhere Main Street whose economies thrive on small chain stores and Mom and Pop retail.

In the days of the Internet and shopping from your computer, mobile phone, etc.... all the Mom and Pop stores have to adapt no matter where you are located.

Small businesses personalize a community and we still have quite a few here in Northbrook. Some locally owned stores include a grocer, a clothing store, several restaurants, a book store, a lawn and garden center, a community bank, several gift shops, a shoe repair shop, etc.

Yes Ed, but what is stopping Costco, Target, Home Depot, Lowes, or Jewel/Dominicks/Whole Foods, Northbrook Court, the 'big banks', or any other 'big box retailer' from putting those guys out of business?

A Walmart is not going to change the fact that you can't get a great deli and salad bar at Sunset, or a nice suit at Leonards, or special plants and garden supplies at Red's or a mortgage at Northbrook B&T, or shoes repaired at Phillips.

People are not going to go to Walmart to get "good service". They want to save money. They don't need to buy a gallon of Ketchup at Costco but they also don't want to spend double that price at Jewel. They don't want designer clothes from Macy's -- they want their basics from a Target/Walmart.

TJ, I agree. While its nice to have the local flavor, price and consistency from the big guys usually wins out. Thanks to people like llwvrt, local businesses survive; some even thrive.

Marty, I'm not sure what guns has to do with this Walmart discussion. But since you brought it up, please explain your solution for how to get rid of all the guns, especially out of the hands of criminals. And how to prevent them from being smuggled into the country.

That would be there. I trust you plan on car pooling in the event the rest of the eager applicants don't have cars?

I think NBK is a fine location