Some residents of Hernando, Mississipppi were less than pleased to learn that Wal-Mart wants to erect a supercenter in their small town. Here’s a frontline report from local resident Larry Strain: “I am a citizen of a small town community (17,000 residents — 6,100 households) in northwestern Mississippi that has recently been threatened with the development of a Wal-Mart Super Center. I’ve lived in the county for over 20 years. The reason I moved to Hernando from Southaven (12 miles north) is because of the urban sprawl that has taken place in the city over the past 5 years. The development of the Wal-Mart Super Center in Southaven devastated my home’s property value and I now see my former neighbors finding it impossible to sell their homes. The subdivision that I lived in was located close to a Wal-Mart store on Stateline Road that bordered Southaven, MS and Memphis, TN. When I moved to my home 9 years ago Stateline Road was loaded with restaurants, fast food establishments and retail shops that were all anchored by Wal-Mart. My house at this time was purchased around $68K. Then Goodman Road stated to grow. Everyone began moving into to North MS from Memphis to escape the urban sprawl. Wal-Mart took advantage of the growth by closing down the Stateline Road location and moving to a new Super Center on Goodman. Within months other retailers and restaurants began closing shop and following the move of Wal-Mart (obviously because they just lost their anchor). Stateline Road, now known as Main Street, turned into a ghost town over night! Even fast food restaurants such as McDonalds and Subway moved because of the instant decay of the area. The surrounding neighborhoods began decaying as fast as Stateline Road and now the area behind the abandoned Wal-Mart is filled with Industrial Parks. My wife and I had to spend $20K in our house just to break even for what I bought it for nine years prior. I put on a new roof, furnace, landscaping. I had to give my house away just to get out of the neighborhood. Given the population explosion in the county and the condition of my home when I sold it, I should have earned every penny back on my investment. I’m now just happy to be out of there. I can definitely state that when Wal-Mart abandoned Stateline road the trouble began. There have been three Wal-Mart closures in the last 6 years within a 25 mile radius of their new target in Hernando (4 within a 35 mile radius). There are 8 Wal-Mart Super Centers and one Wal-Mart Neighborhood Grocery currently in operation within a 25 mile radius of this targeted area! We felt that the only area left in the county that was safe from urban development was in the small town of Hernando. My wife and I have our life’s savings invested in our home that is now located only three miles away from the proposed Wal-Mart development. Over 175 concerned citizens appeared at the Hernando planning commission meeting recently to express their disinterest in the retail giant’s plans for the small town. After watching tears fall from the faces of several concerned citizens and local business owners the planning commission took no hesitation in approving the commercial development. The smiling grins on the developer’s faces after the planning commission’s decision made my stomach hurt with disgust. The planning director’s next step in the process is to have the Mayor and Board of Alderman approve the development. This meeting is scheduled to take place the third week of November. Wal-Mart withrew their initial request, but will submit their formal application during the commission’s December meeting. I’m sure there’s a reason behind this withdrawal and resubmission process that is advantageous to Wal-Mart. Over 900 citizens have already signed a petition and I’m confident that many more will follow once the truth is told.”
As of last winter, the state of Mississippi had 13 dead Wal-Marts available for lease or purchase. On the list was the 125,457 s.f. Wal-Mart discount store at 385 State Line Road in Southaven, MS from which Larry Strain escaped by dumping his home on the real estate market. The store is about three times the size of a football field. Wal-Mart’s strategy of loving and leaving communities is dislocating thousands of lives in the wake of their corporate decisions. Contact [email protected] for local contacts in the Hernando battle. Search this database by “dark stores” for more stories about empty Wal-Marts.
