After Walmart built stores in Port Angeles and Sequim it did in fact kill off
some small businesses as predicted. The Port Angeles K Mart was killed
off by Walmart and they built a new Super Walmart on top of its bones.
Walmart abandoned the old store to sit empty surrounded by other mostly
empty buildings and failed businesses that were part of that Walmart
development. The new Walmart looks good and is fronted by empty
grass covered commercial building pads. I wonder if anyone interested
is leery to buy because of the Walmart Dead Zone right across the highway.

In Sequim Walmart had every thing in place right down to real estate purchase,
building permits and traffic controls when they announced they were coming
to town. The tacit collusion between the city and county officials and Walmart
was stunning! It was a done deal before anyone knew it was happening.
Sequim suddenly had traffic circles and a surge of the commercial district
to that end of town. It was amazing to see Sequim change so much with
the influx of national chain franchises. Many of them failing within a year
or two. It’s tough out there. But.....

Swain’s in Port Angeles since 1957 has thrived through all of this.
Swain’s has everything and everything that Walmart and others do not have.
Swain’s is a destination as much as a store. The two things I remember
doing the first weekend living on the Olympic Peninsula was going crabbing
in Dungeness Bay and going to Swain’s to buy fishing gear. If you are
ever out this way you should stop in to find that thing you didn’t even
know you needed.
They have it!


Disclaimer: Not intended to be a shameless plug!
I just like Swain’s and the photo.
http://www.swainsinc.com/store/hyway101.html