ABSTRACT
A 2002 documentary titled This is Nowhere [www.highplainsfilms.org/hpf/films/this_is_nowhere] tells the story of a group of retired Americans spending their golden years touring the United States. Like many of their peers, these seniors are traveling across the country in the comfort of their “RVs” (recreational vehicles). The individuals profiled in the movie are regular and enthusiastic Wal-Mart customers, and use Wal-Mart parking lots as their overnight campsites—a practice the company explicitly encourages. Not only does Wal-Mart make camping permissible and free, they also publish a Wal-Mart Atlas to help RVers locate stores along their routes. The individuals featured in the film believe that the parking lots compare favorably to other RV campgrounds. Alongside feeling “welcomed with open arms,” campers extol the company’s ability to provide them with a laundry list of added benefits: extra security, needed supplies (such as toilet paper or a new toaster), the company of fellow travelers in the evening, and—perhaps most importantly— a reliable and delicious dinner at the end of a long day.
