Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, April 3, 1991 TAG: 9104030401
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: PAUL DELLINGER/ NEW RIVER VALLEY BUREAU
DATELINE: PULASKI LENGTH: Medium
Manager Dewey Salyers made three sizeable donations to community agencies on behalf of Wal-Mart before the ribbon was even cut to open the Pulaski store. He gave a $1,000 check to the community's United Way; another $1,000 to Pulaskians Encouraging Progress, with promises of $2,000 more over the next two years; and $4,275.52 to the Daily Bread meals program.
Daily Bread was chosen by associates from other Wal-Mart outlets who came to Pulaski to help train the 160 workers at the new 71,900-square-foot store.
Wal-Mart agreed to match any amount raised by the associates up to $2,000, and the associates exceeded the $2,000 goal. They raised their donation with bake sales, car washes and other efforts.
"We're a down-home, country-type store. Even though we've grown to be a large chain, we still operate like a small business," said Regional Vice President Bill Adams. Adams ignored the microphone used by the other speakers to address the workers and officials from Pulaski, Dublin and Pulaski County. Instead, he marched back and forth in front of the crowd, commenting on such things as buying American and praising Wal-Mart founder "Mr. Sam" Walton as a down-home fellow who just happens to be a business genius.
Mr. Sam's business is still growing. Wal-Mart also was opening a store in Hampton Tuesday. "Three years ago, I came out here and we had two stores in Virginia," recalled Bob Brown, manager of a 10-store district stretching from Eden, N.C., to Danville. Now Virginia has 25 Wal-Marts and 15 more in planning, he said, which will have created 15,000 jobs when they are all complete.
"This has been a long road that Pulaski Town Council has been on to bring Wal-Mart to Pulaski," Mayor Gary Hancock said.
Council had to overcome objections from Memorial Drive area residents concerned that a new shopping center, with Wal-Mart as anchor, would affect its part of town adversely. One outcome of the effort to block it was the organization of Concerned Citizens for Planned Progress, a watchdog group that has been keeping an eye on council activities ever since.
The second store scheduled to open in the shopping center is Food Lion, later this month.
"The greatest thing that we have to be proud of in Pulaski is our citizens. We have the greatest work force anywhere," Hancock said.
One of those workers was Pat Lucas, who won an in-store contest to come up with the best song, poem, or to commemorate the opening. She sang her comic entry to the tune of "16 Tons" about manager Salyers readying for opening day.
It was titled "Big Bad Dewey" but, Lucas explained, in today's parlance "`bad' does mean `good."'
"Let's open 'er up," Salyers shouted after the ribbon-cutting, and a crowd of customers surged in. Pulaski's Wal-Mart was in business.
by CNB