Walmart protest draws thousands to Chinatown
Tony Pierce / KPCC
A woman protesting the Walmart grocery store holds up a sign on Broadway after the march.
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — A well-organized, diverse crowd of thousands marched from the L.A. State Historic Park into Chinatown down Broadway Saturday to protest a Walmart grocery store planned on Caesar Chavez Avenue. Musicians Tom Morello and Ben Harper played at the rally, mostly attended by union employees and their families.
Congresswoman Judy Chu was one of the more powerful speakers of the day. She asked the several thousand protesters who had marched into the Chinatown Gateway to imagine the neighborhood once the Walmart grocery store opens.
"What would happen to landmark businesses just down the street here like Phoenix Bakery and Wonder Bakery if you could just go down to Walmart and get a cake for $1.99? What would happen to Columbus Pharmacy, that's just down the street too - and it's been there for decades — if you could go to Walmart and get Brand X aspirin for 50 cents cheaper? The sad truth is Walmart's model is to destroy small businesses, and we can't let that happen," Chu said.
Harper said anything is better than Walmart -- including driving miles away to the nearest Ralphs.
"L.A. is losing historic landmarks hand-over-fist. I think Chinatown is one of those: as a culture, as a community, architecturally," Harper said after his speech and performance. "We are already suffering the plight of minimalls, irresponsible, irrational homogenization of culture. It needs to stop. Especially in L.A."
The only person at the march who seemed to support the Neighborhood Store was someone who took the stage claiming to be a family member of the wealthy Walton family.
"Brick Walton" chided the crowd, thanking them for coming to the ribbon-cutting ceremony but before he could go on much further several Teamsters walked over to their Harley-Davidson motorcycles that were lined up next to the stage and revved their engines drowning him out.
Thursday, three L.A. mayoral candidates (councilmembers Jan Perry and Eric Garcetti, along with City Controller Wendy Greuel) announced they would not accept campaign donations from Walmart because they don't support how it will impact L.A.'s economy.
Friday Morello explained why he is against the grocery store:
Downtowner on July 02, 2012, at 08:38PM – #1
There is no apostrophe in "Ralphs" (the grocery store chain is named after its founder, George Ralphs).
Mario Teran on July 02, 2012, at 11:05PM – #2
Thank god there are wealthy musicians and union leaders to let the rest of us know where we can shop. They obviously believe the citizens of LA aren't bright enough to make their own decisions.
Thank you wealthy musician man!!!
Simon Ha on July 03, 2012, at 08:45AM – #3
I don't know what's worst - having to drive miles away to pay more at Ralphs or being able to walk to Walmart. Harper obviously doesn't understand that the priority for downtown is to create a pedestrian oriented community where you don't have to get in your car to get your groceries.
I'm not fan of Walmart and their business practices but in this specific case, I think the practicality outweighs ideology.
BTW, why is Target welcomed with open arms but Walmart is beaten down and kicked to the curb? They are cut from the same cloth.
Andrew Lang on July 03, 2012, at 04:49PM – #4
If Walmart is the only company that wants to put a grocery store a half-mile from my house, then bring on the Walmart. I'm not in love with the company, but they're doing what others won't, and my grocery options suck right now. That storefront has sat vacant for years, it's not like other businesses couldn't move in if they wanted.
Kevin Skull Patrick on September 13, 2012, at 11:45AM – #5
OK Downtown so needs this Walamrt its not even funny !