Wal-Mart fails to open first NYC store
Wal-Mart Stores Inc said on Friday it had failed to reach a deal with a developer to have a store in Brooklyn's East New York neighborhood, dealing the company a setback in its attempt to open its first location in the largest U.S. city.
In a statement, Wal-Mart said it would continue to look for a site, adding that most New Yorkers want the discount giant to open a store in their city.
"We remain committed to bringing new economic development and shopping options to New York City, especially in the neighborhoods that need them most," Steven Restivo, Wal-Mart's senior director of community affairs, said in the statement.
With more than 4,000 stores across the US, it may seem like there is a Walmart in every town and city in the country. But the company has consistently failed to get a foothold in the Big Apple.
The company had earmarked a new shopping centre being built in Brooklyn as the site to open its first New York City store. But opposition to Walmart has always been strong in the country's largest city and amid mounting protests, they withdrew from the project last week.
Opposition to Walmart in the city is driven by what protesters say is the chain's history of low wages and poor employee benefits. There are also fears from unions that the company's low prices will hurt the profit margins of other shops, endangering the jobs of its members.
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