Tuesday, May 7, 2019

AutoZone opens on Rockville Pike

AutoZone has opened its first Rockville store at 824 Rockville Pike. This is good news for automobile owners, and a sharp blow to the Montgomery County political cartel which banned Walmart from opening any more stores in MoCo. Two planned Walmarts on Rockville Pike and in Aspen Hill were deep-sixed by the County Council earlier this decade, forcing their constituents to continue overpaying for groceries.

Unlike the County Council's successful efforts to keep grocery prices high and moving higher (Walmart customers save an average of over $12 per week on groceries compared to customers of Giant, Safeway, etc.), the arrival of AutoZone will push a downward force on auto accessory prices in the city.  Not everyone is making six-figure, taxpayer-funded salaries like our elected officials, who shop at Whole Foods and hipster upscale markets.

19 comments:

  1. 87% of the text of this article has literally nothing to do with the AutoZone store opening at 824 Rockville Pike.

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    1. 8:58: The impact of AutoZone on automotive accessory prices has everything to do with AutoZone opening in Rockville.

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  2. Pretty sure the multiple Aldi locations in the county have resulted in lower prices than Wallyworld. Also, not sure how Autozone specifically results in cheaper prices than the other chain stores already on the pike.

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    1. 9:25: Competition lowers prices. Aldi's impact is primarily on the most basic grocery items, as their selection is smaller than other chains.

      Walmart hasn't had a chance to have an impact, having been banned from expansion by the County Council.

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  3. We don't want Wal-Mart here. They discriminate against women and they underpay their workers. Their will be no more small businesses!

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    1. 5:09: Do you own products by Apple, Nike or any other number of corporations that also do the same, as well as abuse their workers in other countries? Has Costco wiped out the county's small businesses?

      Let's be honest that the hatred of Walmart is political, much like Chick-fii-A. It's ok if Apple workers are poisoned and have a high suicide rate, just because the CEO is politically-correct?

      Meanwhile, the political views of formerly "conservative" companies like Walmart and Marriott have shifted radically to the left in recent years, so you should be embracing Walmart.

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    2. You're conflating Apple employees (who are paid well by any metric) and past PR issues for the company involving one of their Chinese subcontractors.

      Walmart is a drag on local economies. Quit trying to make it political, Dyer.

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    3. 11:22: "Past PR issues?" LOL - those are ongoing issues for Apple, a "pioneer in outsourcing jobs overseas" like Hans Riemer's sugar daddies Mitt Romney and Mitch Rales.

      Costco is a drag on local economies as much as Walmart. One is very liberal, and one is center-left, so I'm not sure why you are making it political.

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    4. There is no comparison between Walmart and Costco. Costco pays their employees a living wage, and they are a membership-only warehouse club, selling a limited number of items, so they are in a different league from local grocery and convenience stores.

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    5. 7:13: "A limited number of items?" Have you ever actually been inside a Costco?

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  4. https://investorplace.com/2019/03/autozone-stock-maintenance-buybacks/

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  5. I'm originally from TX and where I lived, you didn't have to drive too far to find a Wal-Mart. I did most all of my big shopping trips there. Could always stay within my budget and find whatever I needed. When I moved to Rockville almost 5 years ago, I was shocked to find the closest Wal-Mart was in Germantown. Of course, I can't tell you the last time I was there. Always way too crowded so it's not worth the drive and I can get what I want elsewhere. It's interesting to hear that years ago there were plans to have one on Rockville Pike and in Aspen Hill. Even though MoCo is an affluent area, not everyone can afford to shop (or live) in this area. Money's tight for me as well. Sorry to go off-topic but I've always been curious about this.

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    1. Yup. I found it odd that a well heeled councilman, who lived in Potomac at the time, had this jihad against Walmart coming to Twinbrook.

      I doubt he spent a minute in Twinbrook neighborhoods. And he didn't understand that Walmart would provide competition,.meaning lower prices for consumers at giant, shoppers, target, etc.

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    2. It wasn't a "jihad" by a single councilman. The residents of the surrounding neighborhoods opposed the Walmart that was proposed for Pike Center.

      https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/digger/wp/2014/08/14/why-wal-mart-keeps-failing-in-montgomery-county/

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    3. 10:52: Total malarkey. You've obviously never been to the Germantown Walmart - it's one of the most popular stores in the County. A few well-paid loudmouths hardly equate to "the residents," who want Walmart countywide.

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  6. Westbard could use a Walmart, since they have no retail diversity in the neighborhood.

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  7. Many of the original post regarding the lack of reasoning in your Autozone comparison have been deleted. Is that because you can't defend your stupidity?

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    1. 12:20: The original post is still here - it's the inane troll comments that have been deleted.

      Walmart is found every other mile any direction you drive past the borders of MoCo. Even in Tysons in a new urban-style development. It's the handful of hair-on-fire radicals who are opposing something Americans everywhere want and have who are exhibiting "stupidity."

      "I love paying $12 more a week for groceries without Walmart in Montgomery County!!!!!!!"

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  8. @Anonymous 10:25 AM, thanks for sharing the link. I live & work in Twinbrook & cross through that intersection daily. Several things have changed or popped up in the short time that I've been here that I can't even imagine a Wal-Mart located at Twinbrook & Rockville Pike!

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