I'm not sure, but Wal-Mart became the #1 retailer in 1990, so I bet they were popping up a lot during the late '80s.

yeah, they were mostly found in the South and Midwest.

I'm not sure, but Wal-Mart became the #1 retailer in 1990, so I bet they were popping up a lot during the late '80s.


Yep, but the giant retailer has humble beginnings; Sam Walton started with a struggling five and dime store in Bentonville, Arkansas way back in the 1950s. My relatives are all from the Deep South, so I remember well spotting Wal-Mart stores during my visits there in the 80s. They all had the phrase "Discount City" on their buildings, but that appears to have been dropped in recent years. The early stores i recall were all in small towns, as opposed to directly competing with more established stores in bigger cities. Prior to the mid-90s, I don't think there were many Wal-Marts north of the Mason-Dixon Line.   

Yep, but the giant retailer has humble beginnings; Sam Walton started with a struggling five and dime store in Bentonville, Arkansas way back in the 1950s. My relatives are all from the Deep South, so I remember well spotting Wal-Mart stores during my visits there in the 80s. They all had the phrase "Discount City" on their buildings, but that appears to have been dropped in recent years. The early stores i recall were all in small towns, as opposed to directly competing with more established stores in bigger cities. Prior to the mid-90s, I don't think there were many Wal-Marts north of the Mason-Dixon Line.   







Did Wal-Mart dominate the South in the late '80s and early '90s then?

Yeah, it wasn't really until like the mid-to-late '90s that they seemed to come into the West, where I live.

Did Wal-Mart dominate the South in the late '80s and early '90s then?

Yeah, it wasn't really until like the mid-to-late '90s that they seemed to come into the West, where I live.


If my trips through Arkansas and Louisiana during those days were any indication, I'd say Wal-mart was *already* a big part of the retail landscape by the mid-80s.

It's funny to think that I used to see Wal-Mart, Sonic drive-thrus and Krispy Creme Donuts franchises as regional things only found "down south". Now all three can be found everywhere, or so it seems... 


 

If my trips through Arkansas and Louisiana during those days were any indication, I'd say Wal-mart was *already* a big part of the retail landscape by the mid-80s.

It's funny to think that I used to see Wal-Mart, Sonic drive-thrus and Krispy Creme Donuts franchises as regional things only found "down south". Now all three can be found everywhere, or so it seems... 


 



K-mart and Dunkin Donuts are now relics of the '80s and '90s.

We still have Dunkin Donuts... lotsa people go there for morning coffee


Yes, and K-Mart still exists, too. But they're nowhere near as big as they used to be.

Sam Walton started with a struggling five and dime store in Bentonville, Arkansas way back in the 1950s


I am wondering something....

Here, in my home town in New South Wales (Australia) we had a department store called 'Waltons'. They sold just about everything. I believe it shut its doors for the last time in 1985. For many years I believed that Waltons was locally owned and was a native Newcastle store...A few years agoI discovered thatWaltons used to be all over my home state, especially in Sydney. I am wondering if this Sam Walton was somehow a part of that? I think Waltons (here in Newcastle) opened its doors in 1965.




Also, here in Australia, K-Mart i still a huge entity and theyre constantly opening new stores everywhere.






AN

Yes, and K-Mart still exists, too. But they're nowhere near as big as they used to be.


Even in 1998, when The Wedding Singer came out, Dunkin Donuts was dying out to Krispy Kreme.  Pizza Hut seems to be less of an entity today too, as well as Blockbuster (Hollywood Video seems to be taking over).

Even in 1998, when The Wedding Singer came out, Dunkin Donuts was dying out to Krispy Kreme.   Pizza Hut seems to be less of an entity today too, as well as Blockbuster (Hollywood Video seems to be taking over).


Dunkin Donuts is a mid-atlantic to northeast staple and it's not dying out at all.  Hollywood Video is not a new entity (it's been around since the 80s)  and is not taking over either.

Where do you get your info, Donnie?  ;D

Where do you get your info, Donnie?  ;D


No offence to him, but he is only 15 years old. We need to give the kid a break from time to time!!  ::)

Even in 1998, when The Wedding Singer came out, Dunkin Donuts was dying out to Krispy Kreme.   Pizza Hut seems to be less of an entity today too, as well as Blockbuster (Hollywood Video seems to be taking over).


Pizza Hut is still the biggest pizza place I believe, and I think Blockbuster is still the largest video rental chain. Dunkin Donuts is probably not as big as it used to be though, but it's definitely still around.

I lived in the Sacramento area for six years in the earlier 90's the first time I remember it being just completely "household" was 1993-ish (I lived in comparitively smaller towns as a kid in the 80's, north of San Francisco).

The first Wal-Mart opened in 1962 in Rogers, Arkansas

I remember in the early 90's when we went down to S. Carolina to visit our relatives....they were talking about Walmart...and I was like..."what is walmart?".....now, you see one on every flippin' corner. ::)

Dunkin Donuts is probably not as big as it used to be though, but it's definitely still around.


Donnie and Brian, I don't know where you guys are, but there are more DDs than ever in the tristate area.  Many of them have a Baskin Robbins inside now, too.  What they DID stop making was SCONES, and I miss 'em.  They were darned good.  

Does anyone have a DD near them that still makes scones?

Donnie and Brian, I don't know where you guys are, but there are more DDs than ever in the tristate area.  Many of them have a Baskin Robbins inside now, too.  What they DID stop making was SCONES, and I miss 'em.  They were darned good.  

Does anyone have a DD near them that still makes scones?



hey annie....we have a lot of DD in our area too (western PA)...but I am not sure if they still sell scones. I haven't been there in ages..although I will say that I prefer their donuts over Krispie Kreme anyday.

Donnie and Brian, I don't know where you guys are, but there are more DDs than ever in the tristate area.  Many of them have a Baskin Robbins inside now, too.  What they DID stop making was SCONES, and I miss 'em.  They were darned good.  

Does anyone have a DD near them that still makes scones?


I really don't notice a lot of donut places at all around here. They're around but there's not that many.

There used be a Dunkin Donuts here in my town, but it closed down many years ago and a Mister Transmission opened up in it's place.  I guess that grease has to go somewhere ;D

There are alot of Tim Hortons here though.  There is 18 of them currently in my town.  You can litterally stand at one, and see the next one and so on. 

hey annie....we have a lot of DD in our area too (western PA)...but I am not sure if they still sell scones. I haven't been there in ages..although I will say that I prefer their donuts over Krispie Kreme anyday.


Dunkin' Donuts are good.  Krispies are a little lighter on the stomach, which is good depending on what I'm in the mood for.  Dunkin' coffee is great -- I love that they have flavors now.  In the summer I buy an iced caramel latte every other day.

[quote author=whis

around here we have a Sheetz and a GetGo on every corner. ::)

No offence to him, but he is only 15 years old. We need to give the kid a break from time to time!!  ::)


True, that's why I put a smiley next to the question as a light-hearted comment.

8) I dont remember Walmart but I do remember The Treasury..with the roof shaped like this~~~~~~...and the Woolworths...Mom used to hate to take me to either one cause I would hide in the round clothes racks and whenI emerged I would BEG for everything in the store!!LOL

What's a Tim Horton?  Is that like a 7-11? 

That's how the 7-11s are on Long Island.  One after the other.


A Tim Horton was a Canadian Hockey Player from the past ;D

It's a chain of donut shops all across Canada.  As of January 4, 2006, there are currently 2,598 of them across Canada and 288 of them in the United States

True, that's why I put a smiley next to the question as a light-hearted comment.


I knew you weren't being sarcastic or anything. It's all good.

I knew you weren't being sarcastic or anything. It's all good.


;)

I know this is getting off the subject but I HAVE to tell this story. I can't remember when it was (late 80s maybe  ??? ) in Poughkeepsie, NY. A local DJ with a morning program had a game called "Cop/No Cop". How it worked, was caller number whatever got to play and that person would say either "Cop" or "No Cop". Then the DJ would call one of the city's Dunkin' Donuts shops and would ask if there was a cop there. If the contestant guessed right, they won.  ;D ;D ;D  However, the Poughkeepsie Police Dept. put a stop to the game.  :\'( :\'(





Cat

I know this is getting off the subject but I HAVE to tell this story. I can't remember when it was (late 80s maybe  ??? ) in Poughkeepsie, NY. A local DJ with a morning program had a game called "Cop/No Cop". How it worked, was caller number whatever got to play and that person would say either "Cop" or "No Cop". Then the DJ would call one of the city's Dunkin' Donuts shops and would ask if there was a cop there. If the contestant guessed right, they won.  ;D ;D ;D  However, the Poughkeepsie Police Dept. put a stop to the game.  :\'( :\'(
Cat


Sounds like something Mark Bolger would've done on K-104.  I don't remember that game, but I loved the parodies he had on that show.

[quote author=whis