Retail goliath casts shadow

First in an occasional series chronicling how the opening of a new Wal-Mart affects a small Virginia town.

KILMARNOCK, Va.

In this town of 1,244 about two hours south of the Beltway, folks are used to walking in the unlocked back door of a neighbor’s home, sometimes without knocking.

Retailers on Main Street wave the American flag outside their shops and put home phone numbers on their business cards.

Kilmarnock, or “Kil-MAH-nick,” is an hourlong drive from a Starbucks coffee shop, train station or taxis, and a 30-minute drive to a Wal-Mart.

But not for long.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. plans to build a 155,000-square-foot “superstore,” with grocery, bakery and deli departments, on 64 acres at the north end of this quiet Northern Neck community.

Construction, originally scheduled to beginthis month, was postponed after the neighboring town of White Stone requested a new traffic-impact study from the Virginia Department of Transportation. Wal-Mart officials say construction will start when VDOT gives the go-ahead.

Kilmarnock, like other small towns, protested when Wal-Mart originally came knocking. The Lancaster County community fought a zoning change for a rumored Wal-Mart store in 1998, waving a $15,000 economic-impact study suggesting the world’s largest retailer would weaken local businesses.

But this time, the necessary zoning for the property was in place and there wasn’t much protesters could do besides vowing not to shop at the store.

Supporters — families, younger shoppers, the town government — are rolling out the welcome mat for economic growth. They say they want quick access to basic goods that aren’t easy to find in town, such as children’s clothes, socks and shower curtains.

But Main Street retailers worry Wal-Mart is going to siphon off retail sales, hurting their livelihood and ability to donate to local causes.

And many of those who moved to the Northern Neck to retire don’t want the retailer to make quaint Kilmarnock look like the big cities they left.

“It’s a home-grown community, close-knit,” says Drew Gulbranson, 61, as he and his wife, Donna, munch on french fries during the annual volunteer firemen’s carnival over the summer.

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