Shop Oro Valley First

Oro Valley First is a group of Oro Valley citizens who support local businesses. They oppose Vestar's choice of the Wal-Mart Supercenter as its anchor at the Oro Valley Marketplace at the corner of Oracle and Tangerine. From our sampling, so do most of our bloggers!

Oro Valley First is launching a campaign to urge Vestar, the owners of the Oro Valley Marketplace, to keep its promise of a "unique shopping experience". Take Wal-Mart out of the equation at The Marketplace, dividing the huge big-box square footage into two smaller stores.

There’s reason for hope! In Chandler, Vestar negotiated with a group of citizens, under the direction of local business owner Sandra Laney.. Thousands of signatures were collected in opposition to a Wal-Mart Supercenter, and Vestar built a Steinmart and a Sprouts Market instead of a WalMart.

Oro Valley First wants your help. Join in by clicking here.

Here’s our thinking…

Two smaller retailers would be far more appropriate and fit far more nicely in the shadows of the Catalina Mountains, across from Catalina State Park than big box Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart is normally open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. They encourage overnight parking in their lot by RV travelers and truckers; and there’s an increase in crime that a WalMart brings. There's already a WalMart (Neighborhood Store) at Oracle and Magee. And a big box WalMart not far from there at Ina and LaCholla. Do we really need yet another WalMart?

Simply put: Walmart does not fit into the “unique shopping experience” that Vestar promised us. And we don't need yet another mediocre shopping experience!

This is a big issue. We need your feedback.

Please comment on this posting. Let us know what you think. Do you agree that Wal-Mart is not the right neighbor for the Marketplace? Are you ready to support our local store owners over Wal-Mart? Do you want to join with others in seeing that the $23.2 million in corporate welfare given to Vestar actually results in the “quality shopping experience” they promised us?