I know two owners of companies that have had dealings with WalMart, and they both turned out for the best. The first case is RusCo, based out of Jonesboro, AR. I went to ASU with the two founding brothers. While in high school, they started to make windchimes for the neighbors. Long story short, the business grew and they are now the supplier of windchimes to WalMart and still based out of J'boro.

The second instance happened while I was in grad school working for a furnite store making and setting up waterbeds (oh, the stories I could tell ;)) Anyway, the guy I worked for was approached by WalMart to sell speciality waterbeds, kids waterbeds that look like old cars. Even though the volume was going to be huge, WalMart would only buy on consignment; so, if the bed did not seel, the owner was out the cost. He did not do business and is still around.

Again, I really don't know what to think. WalMart has played the game well, but at what cost? Good for WalMart and its share holders. A kid I grew up with in the early '80s did all sorts of odd jobs around the neighborhood and for his father. The only thing he ever bought were WalMart stocks. Mind you this kid was 10-11 at the time. Well, by the time he got to college he was able to pay for it and law school without taking out a loan.

Nice to see a fellow Arkansan around here. I grew up in the NE corner - Paragould to be exact. I attended UofA for a couple of years - that time of my life is real fuzzy due to mass alcohol intoxication.....Colin