Flowing map of the Growth of Walmart

[Knut]

http://projects.flowingdata.com/walmart/

This is map really illustrates how Walmart spread across the US.

Kind of like a virus really.

[Superflyer]

Holy crap there are a lot in the east, the map is almost completely green. That is neat to watch though.

[BlackArcher101]

I'd like to see one of McDonalds on a world map. I bet Starbucks would look like a huge outbreak.

[Sylvanfan]

They're only going to get bigger too. A retailer with growing sales in a recessing economy, they're going to swallow up a big chunk of their competition.

[jus_sum_guy]

Starbucks in the US would look like a virus being wiped out...

[Pagal4321]

*nerd alert*

First thing I thought of, look at all the Tiberium I could mine!!!

[troutman]

They are in Germany now.

[BlackArcher101]

Crap, I'm wasting a lot of work time on this website.

[ok, ok,....I get it]

Originally Posted by troutman

They are in Germany now.

good about time German was on the other end of an invasion!

[Daradon]

I notice we got our Wal-Mart(s) in Calgary before some states (or cities I guess) got theirs...

Just by paying attention to the dates that is, they don't show the international locations...

An international map would be interesting too.

[octothorp]

I think Subway would be one of the most impressive; Starbucks are still fairly localized to urban and suburban communities, but with Subway, they went very suddenly to having a franchise in every little town.

[blankall]

You always here about Walmart taking over. I never thought it was that big of deal considering we have them in Western Canada, but they certainly have not taken over anything.

The way they spread in the south and the East of the US is an entirely different story. Absolutely amazing.

[mykalberta]

Walmart grows where there are large population centres, and those places that welcome buisness, and not fight it. the west coast has battled against it so they grow where there is less resistance.

In Alberta, if you have 15K people you have a Walmart. That makes good buisness sense, they dont pop up everywhere, but everywhere they think they can make money, they do.

[calgaryrocks]

Originally Posted by octothorp

I think Subway would be one of the most impressive; Starbucks are still fairly localized to urban and suburban communities, but with Subway, they went very suddenly to having a franchise in every little town.

thats true, i went to a school in australia in between two absolutley tiny towns, one of them had subway...in rural australia

[GreenTeaFrapp]

Originally Posted by troutman

They are in Germany now.

I thought they tried Germany before but failed because the chain they took over was heavily unionized and there were cultural differences that affected German perception of their stores.

[mykalberta]

Originally Posted by GreenTeaFrapp

I thought they tried Germany before but failed because the chain they took over was heavily unionized and there were cultural differences that affected German perception of their stores.

I thought they closed in Germany as well, also Japan I heard.

Also, the documentary if you can find it about Walmart in China is facinating.

[JohnnyB]

There is Walmart here in Shanghai too, and it's typically packed. Lot's of American chains here. Pizza Hut, Papa John's, Subway, Burger King, and I'm sure there are many others that are not coming to mind for me. KFC is the most popular chain restaurant in China.

[RT14]

Yeah, it's interesting in South Eastern China as well. I was in Shenzhen for a few years and they had 3 or 4 huge Wal-Marts but only one Subway. Pizza Hut, McDonalds, and of course KFC were huge there though and Papa John's was coming on strong. Burger King did not exist there and I'm surprised to hear there are any in Shanghai too. Thought the only Chinese Burger King was in Hong Kong.

In Guangzhou, which is only a 2 hour drive from Shenzhen and has about 5 times the foreign population has no Wal-Marts, but way more Subways and there were at least 2 Dariy Queens here but one folded for sure, not sure of the other one. Starbucks of course is big everywhere.

Now, if someone can convince Tim Hortons or A&W to get their butts over here, I would personally keep them in business and know a ton of people that would help!

[Sylvanfan]

Interesting that you mention China. Some predictions I've seen have 400 million plus rural inhabitants moving to urban centers in the next 50 years. Thats an enornmous number and as these people try to improve their standard of living I can only imagine how many Wal-Marts will pop up all over China.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Daradon

I notice we got our Wal-Mart(s) in Calgary before some states (or cities I guess) got theirs...

Just by paying attention to the dates that is, they don't show the international locations...

An international map would be interesting too.

That is because they bought Woolco....