# Where's the farthest point from a Wal-Mart in the contiguous 48 states? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 5, 2009, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-the-farthest-point-from-a-wal-mart-in-the-contiguous-48-states/479917 "2009-01-05T05:19:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-the-farthest-point-from-a-wal-mart-in-the-contiguous-48-states/479917/1 "2009-01-05T05:19:57Z")
Somewhere in Montana maybe? ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-the-farthest-point-from-a-wal-mart-in-the-contiguous-48-states/479917/2 "2009-01-05T05:34:45Z")
Well, this isn’t a definitive answer, but here’s a map of every Walmart: [http://www.walmartstoremap.com/](http://www.walmartstoremap.com/) Looks like somewhere in Eastern Nevada to me. ---
**Author:** ![Rachael\_Rage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/71c47a/32.png) [@Rachael\_Rage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachael_Rage)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-the-farthest-point-from-a-wal-mart-in-the-contiguous-48-states/479917/3 "2009-01-05T05:34:56Z")
Interesting question. I’m just glad there’s not one in NYC! ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-the-farthest-point-from-a-wal-mart-in-the-contiguous-48-states/479917/4 "2009-01-05T05:44:19Z")
I find this map fascinating and horrifying: [Watching the Growth of Wal-Mart across America](http://projects.flowingdata.com/walmart/) The answer to the OP’s question seems to be either Nevada, as suggested by **enalzi** , or perhaps northern Montana. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-the-farthest-point-from-a-wal-mart-in-the-contiguous-48-states/479917/5 "2009-01-05T05:59:16Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > The answer to the OP’s question seems to be either Nevada, as suggested by **enalzi** , or perhaps northern Montana. Except that Alaska is very much undersized in the map. I’m guessing the north coast of Alaska is farther from a Wal-Mart than any place in Nevada. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-the-farthest-point-from-a-wal-mart-in-the-contiguous-48-states/479917/6 "2009-01-05T06:07:08Z")
Looks like it’s somwhere close to [Austin, NV](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austin,_Nevada) to me ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-the-farthest-point-from-a-wal-mart-in-the-contiguous-48-states/479917/7 "2009-01-05T06:08:23Z")
**Johnny L.A.** : That may well be, but it’s not in the contiguous 48 states. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Falling\_Reverend](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/aca169/32.png) [@The\_Falling\_Reverend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Falling_Reverend)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-the-farthest-point-from-a-wal-mart-in-the-contiguous-48-states/479917/8 "2009-01-05T06:22:34Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > I find this map fascinating and horrifying: > > [Watching the Growth of Wal-Mart across America](http://projects.flowingdata.com/walmart/) That was one of the scariest things I have ever seen. The only word that comes to mind is plague. ---
**Author:** ![KGS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90ced4/32.png) [@KGS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KGS)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 8:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-the-farthest-point-from-a-wal-mart-in-the-contiguous-48-states/479917/9 "2009-01-05T08:31:14Z")
> [@The\_Falling\_Reverend](#): > > That was one of the scariest things I have ever seen. The only word that comes to mind is plague. It’s like watching the spread of Captain Trips. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-the-farthest-point-from-a-wal-mart-in-the-contiguous-48-states/479917/10 "2009-01-05T11:53:55Z")
My house. Reason? To us Walmart does not exist. We refuse to patronize it. Walmart/Sams Clubs can all close down and explode and it would mean absolutely nothing to us. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-the-farthest-point-from-a-wal-mart-in-the-contiguous-48-states/479917/11 "2009-01-05T14:28:59Z")
> [@matt\_mcl](#): > > **Johnny L.A.** : That may well be, but it’s not in the contiguous 48 states. That shows how carefully I read OPs just before going to bed! :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Onimous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ea5d25/32.png) [@Ann\_Onimous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Onimous)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-the-farthest-point-from-a-wal-mart-in-the-contiguous-48-states/479917/12 "2009-01-05T16:27:19Z")
> [@The\_Falling\_Reverend](#): > > That was one of the scariest things I have ever seen. The only word that comes to mind is plague. I was thinking infestation myself. Eww. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-the-farthest-point-from-a-wal-mart-in-the-contiguous-48-states/479917/13 "2009-01-05T16:30:31Z")
Oh, come now, folks. Would anyone like to explain why the growth of Wal-Mart is any more damaging to the U.S. than the growth of [Sears Roebuck in the 1920s and '30s](http://www.searsarchives.com/history/history1925.htm)? > [@](#): > > The retail operation grew to 192 stores in 1928, to 319 stores in 1929 and to 400 stores in 1933. During one 12-month period in the late 20’s, stores opened on the average of one every other business day. When two huge stores opened in one city on the same day, more than 120,000 people visited them during the first 12 hours they were open. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-the-farthest-point-from-a-wal-mart-in-the-contiguous-48-states/479917/14 "2009-01-05T16:54:11Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > I find this map fascinating and horrifying: > > [Watching the Growth of Wal-Mart across America](http://projects.flowingdata.com/walmart/) > > The answer to the OP’s question seems to be either Nevada, as suggested by **enalzi** , or perhaps northern Montana. Reminds me of [this photo.](http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap001127.html) ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-the-farthest-point-from-a-wal-mart-in-the-contiguous-48-states/479917/15 "2009-01-05T17:00:29Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > Oh, come now, folks. > > Would anyone like to explain why the growth of Wal-Mart is any more damaging to the U.S. than the growth of [Sears Roebuck in the 1920s and '30s](http://www.searsarchives.com/history/history1925.htm)? Well, from a purely mathematical, rather than a political, point of view: Sears Roebuck, 1933: approx. 1 store for every 342,000 Americans Walmart, 2007: approx. 1 store for every 95,000 Americans ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-the-farthest-point-from-a-wal-mart-in-the-contiguous-48-states/479917/16 "2009-01-05T18:04:21Z")
> [@Rachael\_Rage](#): > > Interesting question. I’m just glad there’s not one in NYC! Nor in San Francisco, though there is one near the Oakland Airport. ---
**Author:** ![Ultraviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/c77e96/32.png) [@Ultraviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ultraviolet)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-the-farthest-point-from-a-wal-mart-in-the-contiguous-48-states/479917/17 "2009-01-05T18:32:22Z")
> [@An\_Gadai](#): > > Somewhere in Montana maybe? Maybe not, don’t forget about Walmart Canada. There is a Walmart in Cranbrook, about 90 miles from the Montana border. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-the-farthest-point-from-a-wal-mart-in-the-contiguous-48-states/479917/18 "2009-01-05T18:37:47Z")
I don’t find it horrifying or even bad to see Walmart spread. They’re just discount stores. I buy stuff there. What I did find surprising was how long they were a southcentral chain only. I thought they’d been coast to coast for a lot longer than that. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Devil_s_Grandmother)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-the-farthest-point-from-a-wal-mart-in-the-contiguous-48-states/479917/19 "2009-01-06T01:07:20Z")
> [@The\_Falling\_Reverend](#): > > That was one of the scariest things I have ever seen. The only word that comes to mind is plague. I understand your point, but any good plague would have killed off the high-density cities in California much, much faster. ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-the-farthest-point-from-a-wal-mart-in-the-contiguous-48-states/479917/20 "2009-01-06T03:38:25Z")
Has anyone figured where the 2 closest Wal-Marts are locate? There are 2 in Federal Way, Washington located less than 2 miles from each other. Someone living between the two would live within a mile of each store. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-the-farthest-point-from-a-wal-mart-in-the-contiguous-48-states/479917.md?page=2)