Walmart

[Jimc1977]

With most of Wal-Mart' stopping overnight parking does any one have some alternatives?

[Joe]

Cracker Barrel, Lowe's Home Depot and Sams Club.

[rowiebowie]

Harvest Hosts.

[Winston]

Originally Posted by Jimc1977

With most of Wal-Mart' stopping overnight parking does any one have some alternatives?

Did we miss some Walmart policy change announcement concerning overnight parking?

[DUTCH in Atlanta]

Cabelas, Bass Pro Shops

[DUTCH in Atlanta]

Originally Posted by Winston

Did we miss some Walmart policy change announcement concerning overnight parking?

I don't think there's been any Walmart policy change, but many municipalities are passing ordinances to prevent overnight parking.

[Rockwood27]

I haven't seen any reduction in OP at WM and we stay at one at least 5 or 6 times per year. I use the RVParky app and set the filter to "Only Stores" and "Only stores with overnight parking". There will be hundreds of stores listed in the New England area.

[Joe]

Only problems we ever had at Wal-Mart was near ocean. It is posted in Ocean City Maryland no overnight. In Florida any Wal-Mart near Kennedy Space Center was a no go. But when traveling from Maryland to Florida on 95. Never had a problem overnighting.

[booster]

At a Walmart in the Sacramento area, we didn't see the tiny sign in the bushes that said no overnight parking, and there were other RVs there already clustered in a corner of the lot.


We went in and the manager said it was OK to stay overnight, so we went and parked. A couple of hours later a tow truck shows up and tells us we have to leave the lot as no RV parking or overnights. Told him the manager says it is OK, even though he showed us the sign by then. We were then told that the day manager does say that, but when the night security guy shows up, he always calls the tow service to get rid of all the RVs.


It sounded like a racket between the security guy and the tow company as they tow guy would likely be paid for each RV he shooed away.

[magicbus]

The OP may be referring to a recent article I read where Walmart is doing a study of how their parking lots are used with plans to turn underutilized areas into strip stores. This would cut down on the free space.

[Davydd]

Big Box parking lots are mostly governed by zoning ordinances of one parking stall for every XXX square foot of store. Believe me, they plan exactly to that since most zoning ordinances are too restrictive in light of reality but the store has no choice in the matter. If there is property left over it could have been paved over and striped for parking just to look finished; however, it may have been planned that way for strip stores all along. I was involved in well over 1,000 Target Stores to know the ins and outs of this working for Target's Property Development. Our counterparts, including many developers of combined retail ventures, are all acutely aware of the bottom line to maximize the property. I seriously doubt it plays a part in whether overnight parking is allowed.

[RossWilliams]

"most zoning ordinances are too restrictive in light of reality"

By "restrictive" you mean they require far more parking than is needed. I think that is changing in some places as planners are coming to understand large parking lots make for lousy pedestrian environments, increase traffic and congestion as people drive from one store to another and increase costs by spreading everything out for urban services.

[Davydd]

The subject was existing Walmart stores and I seriously doubt any city would give Walmart a break in reducing parking, especially to the extent of adding more retail space which in itself takes parking spaces away and then you would then have to account for the additional parking spaces more retail would require. It is not a factor as I said in whether overnight parking is allowed.

Mostly inner core cities are entertaining forced doing away with auto parking as social engineering. That's another subject entirely and doesn't pertain to RVs. The suburbs are not there yet where most all big box retail resides.

[RossWilliams]

I think you are correct if you are talking about outer ring suburbs. But there are plenty of suburbs that no longer have unlimited space for new greenspace development. Some of them are now looking at all those empty parking spaces they required and wondering whether they couldn't bring more value if they were developed. I would be surprised if that trend didn't effect some Walmart stores. The Walmart here has a strip mall on the other side of the parking lot that was put in when they moved and built their new store.

[Davydd]

You are bringing up a totally new subject that has nothing to do with overnight parking of RVs. I think I said that three times now. I'm familiar with most all the strategies and partnerships big box retail employ being involved in the business since I designed Target's 51st store a remodel take over in St. Louis, MO in 1975 as a architectural consultant. My last 15 years of employment was with Target in managing both new store construction and prototype design while employed at their HQ. I once knew and worked with some of Walmart's counterparts in the business and of course being competitors we knew their strategies as well as anyone. The strategies are varied, some pan out and some don't over time and the company's strategies are forever evolving and not standing still. The bottom line is always the same, build a store to maximize ROI (return on investment) in any given location and after a store is built that can change over time via change in demographics, other developments in a location or new opportunities. But as I said, this has nothing to do with RV overnight parking and does not enter into the equation. Target, though, almost identical to Walmart physically on locations never entertained overnight RV parking and anyone's knowledge of "trends" of a company are second hand speculation hand outs to the news media and public by the companies.

[RossWilliams]

David -1975 was a long time ago. Target stores were often still split into a grocery side, usually operated by a different company, and the Target side. So yes, the market evolves and changes.

The issue of parking is central to the RV issue. As you point out, Walmart and Target are both often required to provide much more parking than is warranted. That is a regulatory requirement, not a business decision. Offering free overnight RV parking is a way to get some return on that required investment. If the regulatory environment is changing and parking is limited to actual business requirements, it may no longer make sense to provide it to RV's. In areas where land for development is limited, that area used for RV parking becomes a valuable resource. Providing RV parking is no longer "free".

[Davydd]

RossWilliams, You ought to quit explaining before you expose your lack of knowledge more.

SuperTargets are wholly owned and managed by Target. The grocery is not operated by a separate company. I was part of the original SuperTarget team that carried out that concept. The only operation in a Target store managed by a separate company with separate employees are the Starbucks. That was another effort I was a part of and Target convinced Starbucks in the mid 90s, and it was the first time Starbucks partnered and didn't just have standalone facilities. They were only in SuperTargets at first. Now most of the one entrance Target stores have been remodeled to include Starbucks and groceries.

Overnight RV parking was never in the equation as I said for Target. It is a function of practicality and someone's image of store promotion. Walmart just has other ideas in that than Target and I doubt ROI is considered.

Regardless of parking lot size with all your imagining, Walmarts that don't allow it are because of government ordinances, pressure from the community, experience of a good thing is spoiled from overuse and abuse usually in a tourist area, security reasons, and neighborhood (crime, drugs, incidences, etc.)

[Bud]

"expose", Exposure is often a good thing - for all to see.

[hbn7hj]

I have faded from Walmart and am more comfortable at truck stops. Love's, Pilot and Flying J typically have space in front away from the trucks. I will move on before taking a space a semi could use. It tends to have more noise but it doesn't seem to bother.

Rest stops are my last choice, seldom level, more noise, but some are really nice.

[RossWilliams]

"SuperTargets are wholly owned and managed by Target. "

I didn't say anything about "SuperTargets". In fact, I am not sure they even existed in 1975. But the original Target, in Roseville Minnesota, still had an attached grocery store run by Applebaums in 1975.

"Overnight RV parking was never in the equation as I said for Target."

Exactly, so why did you bring up your experience with Target?

"Walmarts that don't allow it are because ..."

I am sure there are many reasons why they allow it or don't allow it. If it is up to individual store managers there is no way of knowing what all those reasons are. But I suspect if there are any Walmarts out there with limited parking space, they aren't offering to let RV's park in it overnight. And if they find other uses for the land used for parking, the opportunities for RV parking are likely to shrink.