Wal-Mart pulls out of Germany with $1 billion loss

true

OK, update...the WalMart sign is down and the Real sign is up. Actually, they just covered the WalMart sign with a huge Real sign (on only one side of the tower so far).

Anything else different?

Yes, two sides are covered now.

No, I can't tell from here, I can only see the big sign in the middle of the parking lot that is probably about 50 meters high.

Oh . When I am in London I just go to Fortnum and Mason. Its convenient, almost in sight of my flat and they do bag items for you.

Very new money.

My wife and her friends shop for food there and at the Harrods food hall when they go on girly shopping trips to London. She has to go to Tescos for me though as I am more down-market

Monkstown, shame on you. Fortnums have been around for years!

I used to shop at Fortnums, but then they went too downmarket for my liking. Damned working class is taking over the world, what.

You should learn how to use that telescope a bit better.

I had to explain to my ex very slowly that I was not going to go into Burberry's store. He still doesn't get it.

Monkstown. The pikeys you know are well-heeled to shop in Fortnum...

http://www.fortnumandmason.com/shopping/ca...duct&page=1

I can get Shippam's sardine paste in ASDA!

Have to say, I only went to Walmart 2 or 3 times and thought is was rubbish. I do a bit of a shop at Metro now and then but mostly use smaller outlets for what I want to buy to eat or the local farms.

Well, I decided to go and see what the new Real (Walmart) looks like. Not sure what I was expecting but I know now I won't be rushing back there any time soon.
A few areas were clean and smart but a lot of it is still in the transitional stages, with lots of bargain bins filled with crap stock that they're trying to get rid of.

And the queues to get out were hideous, with half the staff having problems with the tills, not sure why because I'm sure it's the same staff.

Anyway, not recommended unless you're desperate to see what it now looks like and to get hassled in the car park by someone selling cleaning products.

I still don't understand why they have 2 Real's right next to each other. I thought maybe they would have food and stuff in one, and clothes in the other. Is this going to happen? Otherwise it seems really stupid.

It's almost worse than that. The Metro next to the first Real is the same company and has the pretty much the same product range, but is only accessible to members (who themselves are supposed to be tradespeople)