Hi,

I would like to take my family who is visiting Boston from overseas to a nearby Walmart to pick up some suitcases, and generally browse around.

I live in the Fenway area of Boston and am planning to rent a car, maybe a Zipcar.

Which Walmart would you recommend? Something with a larger selection would be nice, and obviously the closer it is, the better.

Thanks for your help,
Regards,

Andy

Go to the Walmart Website and type your zipcode in the Store locator section. There you'll find a list of all the Walmart stores that are closest to your home.

Skip Wal-Mart and go to Target either in Watertown or Saugus.

I think the best stores for inexpensive suitcases are Marshall's or TJMaxx. There's a good Marshall's on Boylston St in the Back Bay or you can head to Downtown Crossing for both stores. The Filene's Basement on Boylston also has a lot of suitcases.

Why would you take anyone to Wal-Mart ?? wyatt has some great suggestions.

If the intent is to pick up some cheap but good suitcases, then I agree TJMaxx, Marshalls, or Kohl's are a better choice.

If the intent is to also take overseas visitors to a prototypical US MegaMart, then at least try to find a clean, orderly Walmart.

Many I've been in are outright dumps, with shelves disheveled, staff standing around doing or caring about nothing, long lines at the in-store McD's for 64oz cokes, BigMac's and fires, and even longer lines at the service counter trying to return something, and even longer lines at checkout.

Walmart has been trying to update many stores, and they continue to be very successful with their low price business model. I avoid our local Walmart like the plague, preferring to go a little farther to Target if I need household items.

Another potential shopping destination would be the South Bay stores in Dorchester about 3 miles from you; they have a Target and Marshall's. It's right off Route 93 Exit 18 or go down Mass Ave to Southampton Street.

The nearest WalMart to you is probably the one farther down Route 93, in Quincy.

I would agree that Marshall's and TJMaxx are better places to shop for luggage than Walmart.

But, not Kohl's. I saw the perfect Ricardo bag at Kohl's, but was able to find it online for about half the price with free shipping.

I would still go to Walmart as part of the US experience....but wouldn't necessarily buy a suitcase there. Check the Kohls sales flyer for that week. Sometimes they have 50% off sales and you can get some great luggage deals.

"I would still go to Walmart as part of the US experience."
Egads, is that what it's come to????? How very sad!

Well, if you come to Quincy to visit WalMart, you might be able to squeeze in an Adams historic site or two.

Yeah - Walmart isn't exactly part of my US experience - and definitely isn't anything I'd want to expose visitors too. Egads is right.

I would think WalMart would be the cheap overseas labor experience. Look what 30 cents an hour gets you.

If they're seriously looking for luggage, just letting you know I saw some good stuff at Nordstrom Rack yesterday.

I have to disagree with those who are aghast at the idea of taking foreigners to "see" Wal-Mart. It may not be the "American experience" for those here, but you can't deny it's uniquely American and the experience of millions in this country. I'd rather take them to see Wal-Mart than the "most gigantic whatever".

Are there any department stores where you COULD you take a visitor and not see mostly stuff made in Asia?

I can't believe nobody's mentioned Filene's Basement. The Downtown Crossing store is closed, I hope, temporarily, but there are several satellite stores. I find it offers a "Boston" experience, and often good buys.

I don't normally shop at Walmart, but I needed a cheap duffle for transporting some things that will be making the journey one way on an upcoming trip and I found exactly what I needed for $10. The other luggage items I saw were cheap too.

I'd think a large shopping mall would be a more interesting place to take overseas visitors.

Let's see, now..."the most gigantic whatever", hm. Do any of the following fit that category? Say, the Grand Canyon or perhaps the Empire State Building or maybe the Golden Gate Bridge or the Metropolitan Museum of Art or how about Old Faithful or Yosemite Falls? Gee, I'd be hard pressed to make a decision between one of them and a Walmart store. Sure I would!

But Howard, you can't buy a suitcase at any of those places.

Yeah, well, the world's biggest ball of twine fits in that category too.