Colonie, New York: Your Local Wal-mart needs your support

Rick Wilking, Reuters.

From "Wal-Mart makes direct mail pitch for new store," in the Business Review of Albany:

Wal-mart is using the power of direct mail to help build support for a proposed supercenter in Latham, N.Y., that would replace a smaller store two miles away. Wal-Mart mailed glossy, colorful pamphlets to thousands of local residents, primarily in the town of Colonie, with renderings and details about the 187,647-square-foot store it wants to build on Autopark Drive off Route 9.

The pamphlet touts the benefits of the proposed store, including "hundreds" of new jobs and a full service grocery. A reply card lets people volunteer, such as writing a letter in support of the store and putting up lawn signs.

The public awareness campaign, which will also include a yet-to-be-scheduled open house to meet store designers and employees, has been used by the retailer for nearly three years, but this is one of the first in the Albany region, said Philip Serghini, a spokesman for the Bentonville, Ark., company.

Wal-Mart's plans for a new store in the town of Ballston fizzled last year due to community opposition, but Serghini said the company isn't anticipating a fight over the new store in Latham, which is located in the town of Colonie.

If built, the new store would replace a Wal-Mart at Latham Farms that is about 70,000-square-feet smaller and doesn't include a food market. The new store would be built on vacant land abutting Interstate 87, north of Exit 7. The area was once envisioned as a plaza of auto dealerships. The Colonie Planning Board is scheduled to review the proposal March 25.

Serghini would not divulge how many pamphlets were mailed, but said they were sent primarily to Colonie residents. He said the formal approval process can be time consuming, with public hearings that generally happen at night. The direct mail campaign enables the company to communicate directly with residents and consumers. "We know our existing shoppers will have a lot of questions," he said. "Others will want to know how they can help."