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Mark Edwards, General Manager
Wal-Mart SuperCenter #264
175 Beasley Drive
Dickson, TN 37055
April 13, 2009
Dear Mr. Edwards,
I am a native Dicksonian who recently returned to my beloved hometown after spending four years in Fairview, TN. Upon my return, I fondly revisited treasured Dickson traditions such as Old Timers' Day, the Dickson County Fair, and shopping on Main Street. I feel that Dickson is the perfect place for my family to settle down and enjoy small town life. One of the things that drew me back to Dickson was our local Wal-Mart. Having lived without a Wal-Mart in Fairview, I was eager to take advantage of the low prices and large selection Wal-Mart offers. Having worked at Wal-Mart as a college student, I was happy to see that many of the friends I made then are still happily working at Wal-Mart.
I am a huge Wal-Mart supporter, and I have defended the company many times to friends who accuse it of unbridled greed, unfairness to its workers, destruction of small businesses, shady ethics and other wrongdoings. I am a young stay-at-home who depends on Wal-Mart to make ends meet.
One of the ways I maintain our family's budget is to make many of my own clothes. My mother taught me to hand sew at a young age and as an adult I learned how to use a sewing machine. This is a hobby I enjoy immensely and take great pride in. Every time I am at Wal-Mart, I stop by the fabric department to check out the remnants and look at the new bolts. Imagine, then, how disappointed and surprised I was when I learned that my hometown Wal-Mart will no longer be carrying fabric. Instead, I was told they are planning to install a "celebration center." I don't know what a "celebration center" offers, but from the description, it's a sorry replacement for my fabric department.
I am all for extending Wal-Mart's services, but not at the expense of services that Wal-Mart have provided for decades. Fabric sales may not be "make" Wal-Mart, but having a small fabric department tucked away in a corner isn't going to "break" it, either. Wal-Mart has carried fabric for as long as I can remember. Before there were SuperCenters with a full selection of groceries, there was a fabric counter. I understand that Wal-Mart has to "keep up with the times," but I think that the vastly wealthy Wal-Mart Corporation can afford to offer this small service to the women of this community. After all, Wal-Mart is pretty much the only company that is making money in this recession.
Without Wal-Mart's fabric department, where am I (and the thousands of women like me) going to get our sewing supplies? The nearest fabric store (Hobby Lobby or JoAnn's) is an hour away from my house. I cannot imagine what the older women in our town are going to do without a handy, nearby source of fabric and notions. I can only hope that this "celebration center" project fails and Wal-Mart sees the error of its ways. Or perhaps a small business can swoop in to rescue us from Wal-Mart's avarice and folly.
I am afraid that Wal-Mart is losing touch with the rural population who made it what it is. Sewing is a way of life for us "country folks." Whether we are sewing quilts, making dolls and doll clothes, creating outfits for ourselves and our children, or coming up with other artful creations, sewing is a means of self-expression. It is an art. Please don't rob the good women of Dickson and surrounding counties of this joy. I fear if you proceed with this plan, there will be no more home-sewn entries at our county fair and a way of life will be gone for good.
Sincerely,
Robyn McKinney
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