Part II: Sam's Town
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From small beginnings come great things.
- Proverb, American
Day 2 - Saturday, March 17, 2012
For those who don't know, Bentonville, Arkansas is the home and headquarters location of Walmart (I don't think I need to explain what Walmart is).
I've never been a huge Walmart shopper myself, but I am rather fascinated by the culture and the various websites dedicated to Walmart culture around the world. I also acknowledge that Walmart has made a tremendous impact on both the world and my own personal life.
For, if my wife never wrote this book...
From small beginnings come great things.
- Proverb, American
................................................................................................
Day 2 - Saturday, March 17, 2012
For those who don't know, Bentonville, Arkansas is the home and headquarters location of Walmart (I don't think I need to explain what Walmart is).
I've never been a huge Walmart shopper myself, but I am rather fascinated by the culture and the various websites dedicated to Walmart culture around the world. I also acknowledge that Walmart has made a tremendous impact on both the world and my own personal life.
For, if my wife never wrote this book...
...about the reuse of abandoned Walmart stores (which you can purchase here)...
...then this would have never happened (because we may have never met each other).
So, as a thank-you to the chain of events, I decided to pay my respects!
...with signs of spring as countless joggers ran through the downtown area.
I arrived that morning in downtown Bentonville and the day was beautiful...
...with signs of spring as countless joggers ran through the downtown area.
With the buildings seemingly frozen in some sort of time capsule...
...it was easy to find the Visitor Center located at Sam Walton's original Five and Dime.
Inside, beyond the front store of old candies and toys...
...waited a museum with a sealed-off office...
...once belonging to Sam Walton.
They also had his pickup truck...
...which appeared to be duplicated out front for the youngsters.
I should also mention something about the Visitor's Center that I particularly loved - the bathroom decor...
...where they used old advertisements to cover the walls!
...where they used old advertisements to cover the walls!
On my way out of the Visitor's Center, the cashier said that I should to check out Crystal Bridges, a new museum of American art founded by Alice Walton, Sam's daughter.
Unfortunately, the museum didn't open up until much later and I had a long voyage ahead...
Unfortunately, the museum didn't open up until much later and I had a long voyage ahead...
...so I stopped only to take pictures of the front entrance...
...and some buildings down in back...
...before taking a scenic route out of Arkansas...
...and making my way to Oklahoma.
.
Well now I finally have a reason to like Wal-Mart! Can't believe that cute little store grew into the big box nightmare that it is today.
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