Brethren, friends, and concerned citizens: if you have been keeping up with the news, you are aware that Walmart is suing Texas for the right to obtain a license to sell hard liquor in stores adjacent to their outlets. I for one will not tolerate it, even if I have to stop shopping at Walmart altogether. I have sent the following letter to Walmart headquarters. I encourage you to do the same.
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Walmart
702 SW 8th St.
Bentonville, AR 72716
Dear sirs,
My family is only one among perhaps millions who shop regularly at Walmart for our groceries and other household items. I spend roughly $6,000 per year at Walmart, not including those extra items I need from time to time. I am personally acquainted with hundreds of people who also shop regularly at Walmart. I tell you this to let you know that many of those with whom I am acquainted are as upset as I am that Walmart is going to begin selling hard liquor in shops adjacent to the regular Walmart outlets. When Walmart began selling "soft alcohol" in the form of beer, there was too little outcry from the public. I presume that this gave you the impression that your customers overwhelmingly approved of that action. Be assured that customers like myself found the sale of alcohol distasteful (no pun intended).
I read in the Fort Worth Star Telegram that Walmart is moving into the hard liquor retail business as soon as they can get licensed here in Texas. I strongly urge you to reverse your course. I object to Walmart selling hard liquor for several reasons.
First, nothing good ever came out of the imbibing of alcohol beverage. The alcohol industry has produced nothing but sorrow, heartache, deaths on the highways, to mention only a few of the fruits of alcohol beverage. Why does Walmart think they have to get into a retail business of a product that contributes to the harm of our society?
Second, Walmart certainly does not need the revenue. The revenue of Walmart staggers the imagination. Why does the company think they need to sell something that produces so much harm for the sake of just one more dollar?
Third, I seriously doubt that Sam Walton would have allowed his stores to sell hard liquor. I think I can say without fear of contradiction that he was more concerned with upholding a moral ethic regarding the products he allowed on the shelves of his store; something that the present CEO and/or corporate officers seem to have abandoned.
Fourth, should Walmart open hard liquor stores here in Texas, or any other state, I plan to do all within my power to boycott the company and get as many people involved in that boycott as humanly possible. I estimate that I should be able to influence at least 1,000 people to completely stop shopping at Walmart, and at least that many more to heavily curtail their business with Walmart. Using simple math, if I can succeed in getting 1,000 people, who spend the same amount I spend each year, to quit shopping at Walmart that will add up to more than $6 million dollars in lost revenue. Now, multiply that by every additional 1,000 people I can get involved, and I think you will get a picture of the impact we will make on the company.
Here is what I am requesting of Walmart:
(1) That plans to enter the hard liquor retail business be dropped completely;
(2) That public announcements to that effect be made;
(3) That I receive some kind of a letter acknowledging such.
I thank you for taking the time to listen to my concerns. I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Tom Wacaster
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