Wal-Mart in China

There are 107 110 113 Wal-Mart stores in China. This one in OCT was among the first.  Near the entrance, one of those 'flip' signs prominently displays the total number of Wal-Mart stores that are currently operating in China. During this past year, the sign seems to be telling me that they have added about one store each week. From a few news stories I've seen, the plan is to have 600 stores in the very near future.

And only a few miles from this store, there is another huge Wal-Mart Superstore that opened late last year. It took over a building that was a giant Sam's Club; which moved to an even bigger 'big box' nearby. 

I've read that Wal-Mart has more than 5000 suppliers. Shenzhen is the center of their export operation to the rest of the world. 

Photographs of the original Wal-Mart in Arkansas are on display at the front of the store, along with the remarkable success story of Sam Walton. He grew his single store into the largest retail company in the world. I doubt that anyone cares to recall that back in those early days, Sam wrote a book about his vision for Wal-Mart. It was called "Made in America"

But even with with the 10's of thousands of items that they sell at Sam's Club and Wal-Mart,  I still can't find my favorite brand of spaghetti sauce.

Alligator, yes. Sauce, no.