Amidst continuing debate over Walmart's desire to open franchises in New York City, a Long Island-based consulting firm released a survey this week finding that the vast majority of small businesses do not want the retail giant in their city, providing a stark contrast to a survey Walmart released in December.
Gotham Government Relations' study of 300 small retailers across the five boroughs found that only 32 percent of respondents do not have a problem with Walmart moving into the Big Apple. This figure contrasts with the 62 percent of small business owners Walmart claimed last month would like to have them open branches in New York.
"We (Gotham) decided to do this poll because the results of the Walmart one struck us as absolutely impossible," Brad Gerstman, a lawyer for Gotham, which represents Gristedes supermarkets, told the New York Daily News.
What's more, as much as 73 percent of grocery and convenience stores oppose the idea of Walmart moving into the city, for which small businesses with New York incorporation filings constitute a substantial portion of the economy.
"The results likely would have revealed far more against, if the respondents were aware that many local retailers would have been put out of business with the emergence of Walmart, as has been demonstrated in other cities," added David Schwartz, another lawyer with Gotham.
However, Walmart maintains that expanding into New York will help alleviate the city's relatively high unemployment rate.
Tags : incorporation news, ny, small business management
Posted: Jan 18th, 2011