00:00There's growing pushback against the Walton family in Walmart's hometown.
00:03I found out why and asked family members what they think.
00:07I moved to Bentonville, Arkansas six years ago.
00:10Ever since I moved to the city I've been hearing some criticism about the Walton family
00:14and I started interviewing residents about that a few months ago.
00:18It's important to say that Bentonville is the city it is today because of Walmart and because
00:24of the Walton family. It all started with Sam Walton who founded the retail giant Walmart
00:29and whose family has given hundreds of millions of dollars to the city of Bentonville and the broader
00:35region. The Walton family has been beloved in the region for a long time with one former resident
00:40even telling me they're like royalty in the city but there are some residents that are pointing to
00:45a broader theme of frustration. When some members of the Walton family shift strategies in their
00:51businesses it's individuals and residents that sometimes experience the fallout. For example
00:56there was a farm-to-table restaurant downtown that closed its doors or a vendor market that shut
01:02down prompting individual residents to lose their jobs. I sat down with Tom and Stuart Walton two of
01:08Sam Walton's grandchildren and they told me that while they want to continue to invest in their hometown
01:13they're also open to hearing criticism of how they can do it in a better way. And Stuart Walton told
01:19me
01:19we're trying to do the right thing. We're not perfect and we know that. And while some people may
01:24criticize them they've made Bentonville a great place to live.
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