Wal-Mart Study Considers 17 More Stores In Portland Area

What if there were roughly the same number of Walmarts in the region as Fred Meyer stores?

That's exactly what the world's largest retailer wanted to know.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc., which operates four Portland-area stores, commissioned an economic analysis that looked at building 17 more. The analysis considers a range of stores, from its traditional full-service behemoths to smaller grocery-store type concepts, in the tri-county area — including eight in Portland proper.

While the sheer number of stores is mind-boggling to some, the fact Wal-Mart is eyeing the region with such intensity is not. Federal, state and local agencies have started offering incentives to grocers to build in under-served communities. And it comes as competition has amped up nationwide between Wal-Mart and Target Corp., which are both looking to dive into an area they've only dabbled in: Fresh food.

To read the rest of the story, please go to: The Oregonian