This is in reply to three recent letters, by Stan Bermann, John Molanphy and Barbara Aran, regarding their opposition to a Wal-Mart Supercenter. They don't want a "big-box store" in town. What is Lowe's if not a "big box"? I don't recall this sort of argument when that store came into being.

What about the new Hyatt Regency Hotel that will be built on Cerrillos Road? Do I see or hear objections to that? According to The New Mexican, hotels and bed and breakfast inns are at nowhere near capacity, but we seem to need more rooms?

Another argument against Wal-Mart is that smaller stores would be put out of business. Small? Do they mean like Mervyn's, Linens N Things, Corralwest, Circuit City?

Wal-Mart had nothing to do with those stores having to close down. The economy being what it is, a place where middle-class people can go and get everything under one roof would be nothing but a boon to Santa Fe.

People who go to the high-end stores don't patronize Wal-Mart anyway, so they should not be affected nor should the small stores they patronize.

As for Wal-Mart paying its employees poorly — pardon this dummy, but there is a minimum wage in Santa Fe and the associates at Wal-Mart benefit from it. Pay starts at $10 an hour. Health insurance is open on a yearly basis for associates to join.

Buying shares of Wal-Mart stock is an option that can be deducted from pay, as can savings in a 401(k) retirement plan.

There are 20 associates who have been with the existing Santa Fe Wal-Mart for 20 years or more. Sixteen associates have been there for more than 15 years, and 33 employees have been there more than 10 years. There have been no reports of sexual harassment or other misdoings in the Santa Fe store.

I would suggest that the three aforementioned letter writers look more closely at the good our Wal-Mart does in town, rather than judge by what they read in the newspapers around the country.

No one knows for sure if the current Wal-Mart would stay open if a supercenter would blossom south of town, but for myself and my family, we would appreciate shopping in one location.

The present Wal-Mart does not have a meat market. There is no fresh produce available.

Sam's Club and Wal-Mart do not, and would not, compete against each other, as Ms. Aran suggested in her letter. If a family is being fed, Sam's deals with larger quantities than can be purchased at Wal-Mart.

I do know whereof I speak, as my husband has been an associate at Wal-Mart for 13 years. He is a cashier, and numerous people seek him out to be their cashier. Every day he is asked, "When will the new store open?"

If some of the opponents of the big-box stores would spend some time with the common, everyday shopper, they would realize the need for an economically friendly place to shop for their needs under one roof.

Progress is being made in many ways, but we are still in left field when it comes to getting a Wal-Mart Supercenter.

Gerry Bushrow lives in Santa Fe and shops at Wal-Mart.