Reader comments
Despite grass-roots effort, Wal-Mart is building in Heber

Why not a Target instead? | 6:25 a.m. Nov. 8, 2007

How unfortunate that Wal-Mart was chosen instead of a nicer store like Target. I avoid Wal-Mart like the plague and wish Heber City would have voted against it!

Tim | 8:04 a.m. Nov. 8, 2007

Bye-bye Heber retail stores and small businesses. Walmart will plunder and pillage just like they do everywhere. How sad for Heber.

Support | 8:35 a.m. Nov. 8, 2007

I don't think ANY community ever supports getting Walmarts. The truth is, Walmarts are bad for the local economy and force US companies to manufacture their products in China based on their pricing system. Too bad for Heber City.

Comments continue below

PJ | 9:05 a.m. Nov. 8, 2007

Target doesn't want to come to Heber. Wal-Mart does. A great number of Heber residents want this, that's why it was voted for. Retail businesses--the few that are here--will survive if they compete on service and distinguish themselves.

Mookie | 9:17 a.m. Nov. 8, 2007

Why does Heber City want to turn it's beautiful town into a sprawling, uninteresting, one-shop, city?

amused | 9:51 a.m. Nov. 8, 2007

When did me so self important that we are "to good" to shop at a Wal-Mart? We should celabrate them as as a great example of the american dream. They just built a better mouse trap. If you don't like it build your own mouse trap and compete to drive them out instead of back door voting them out.

KR | 1:44 p.m. Nov. 8, 2007

Go Heber! Not only will there be a Wal Mart, but a home improvement store and restaurants as well. It is time to grow the tax base. I grew up in Heber and it changed long ago - There is no turning back the clock. The other businesses will need to find a nitch them can compete. Also, not everyone will shop at the Wal Mart. It is good all the way around.

Sorry Heber... | 2:57 p.m. Nov. 8, 2007

Maybe you should have garnered the support of the UEA and NEA to keep WalMart out. We all know they're the real power in Utah! ;)

Old timer | 3:39 p.m. Nov. 8, 2007

Just proves that anything in this world can be bought. I'm not talking about the $500K (not $300K) WalMart (not Boyer) spent to buy the election. I'm talking about my town selling its soul for 88-cent socks. No-one benefits (except one family in Arkansas -- the Waltons). Not the local and foreign workers who are exploited; not the local businesses (goodbye Day's); certainly not the tax base which always -- always -- suffers as municipal services are needed to cover underpaid labor and WalMart protests its property valuations to get breaks.

NR | 3:58 p.m. Nov. 8, 2007

In my opinion Heber lost it's charm years ago. It became the place that people wanted to live... so, that's what happened, those people moved there! Now it's just a bunch of houses thrown on some of what used to be a picturesque landscape. So why not add a Wal-Mart?!?

A Better Trap For Sure | 5:03 p.m. Nov. 8, 2007

Dear amused,

The amusing thing about Walmart is that it definitely did build a better people(mouse) trap. Here is how the trap works. The lower/middle class are the ones who are their main patrons. Walmart moved into small towns with no competition, offered low prices, ran many small businesses out of town , pushed manufacturers to move overseas, which then took away many of the jobs of those who patronized Walmart in the first place!

These people are so glad the Walmart prices are low because they now make less money, why? Because of Walmart!! Sounds like more of a money export plan to me.
You are right! I would call that a much better people(mouse) trap. I guess if you like that strategy, shop, shop, away!

By the way, it is as American to shop at Walmart as it is to intentionally avoid Walmart. What gives? Freedom Right?

Walmart | 5:17 p.m. Nov. 8, 2007

The same thing will happen here that happens in small towns everywhere - first people resist Walmart, then they start shopping there, then they forget why they were so mad about it and kind of like it. The rest of main street will decay, but this new shopping area will thrive.

Heber needs to start thinking soon about how to change their main street from an extension of the highway into a normal city street. I think that is the main problem, not Walmart.

Ken | 5:32 p.m. Nov. 8, 2007

It is just too bad. Wal-Mart is destroying everything it touches with cheap products and cheap labor. Their stores continue to be the direst and smelliest in the country. Their position is to - oh well - they will destroy American Culture, and they do not even care.

West of Walmart | 8:35 p.m. Nov. 9, 2007

I live West of Walmart and am told that there will be a buffer zone of single family houses and townhomes. What buffer zone do those houses have from Walmart? Who are the other potential retailers and how could any developer make that ugly store look good and fit into the neighborhood?

S.E. | 11:31 a.m. Nov. 12, 2007

Walmart will do nothing to Heber that Heber hasn't already done to itself.

I grew up in Heber and still have family there. However, when I visit several times a year, I find that it is not what I can call "home". They have approved subdivisions literally everywhere in that Valley. Midway has absolutely destroyed itself that way. They are building that ridiculously large new high school. They have the pony palace, the fire palace, and the new library, and the county rec. department's appetite for new facilities is out of control.

In addition, Day's Market built their own large box store (OK, its a decade old), the train place built their new McDonald's style building, Granny's is gone, and other large national stores are already there.

My point is, Heber is not longer what Heber was. Its gone. Walmart is not to blame because Walmart didn't do it. Besides, my parents and everyone I know already drives to Provo, Orem or Salt Lake for groceries and other shopping anyway. The little out of touch stores on Heber Main Street may not even notice a change in sales. They lost the bulk of the Heber market decades ago.

MAC | 10:43 a.m. Nov. 13, 2007

As a former resident, and as someone whose parents still call Heber home, I can say that the addition of a wal-mart is a welcome thing. As has been stated in previous comments, their residential growth is overwhelming and demands that there be more commercial growth. Put Heber Valley First never mentioned what they wanted, as far as commercial businesses, other than preserving downtown. That can still be done since wal-mart won't be located downtown. Heber has put this off for years and the people finally allowed it to take place.

land owner | 4:13 p.m. Dec. 10, 2007

I encourage all of you to go read the study proposal that Heber City commissioned on Wal-Mart a few years ago. It is one of the most complete, comprehensive evaluations of the issue you will find anyplace. And the study left it up to each resident to draw their own conclusions.

The Master Plan for Heber done by a bunch of students at Utah State University is the real problem Heber has, they are trying to roll back the clock to become an 1800's Park City. Sorry Heber, that plan does not work, and the plan will never become reality. You hurt the City's future by thinking it can become reality through your zoning.

Sorry Heber, but your going to become what Alpin to Payson has become, one large city filling the entire valley. That is sad, but that is life.

"Enemy" was elected | 5:30 p.m. Dec. 24, 2007

You get these stores mostly because your local govt wants the tax money.

Sarah | 3:52 p.m. March 13, 2009

It sure didn't pass by much. That's hardly a voice of the community. Restaurants? Fast food and frozen food restaurants like Applebees. Nice. Get used to cheap plastic stuff that breaks, Heber.

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