http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/10/bu...10grocery.html


September 10, 2008

Miles of Aisles for Milk? Not Here

By ANDREW MARTIN


"HARMAR TOWNSHIP, Pa. - Like cars and homes, grocery stores are beginning to
shrink.

After years of building bigger stores - many larger than a football field
and carrying 60,000 items - retailers are experimenting with radically
smaller grocery stores that emphasize prepared meals, fresh produce and
grab-and-go drinks.

The idea is to lure time-starved shoppers who want to pick up a few items or
a fast meal without wandering long grocery aisles or paying restaurant
prices.

Safeway has opened a smaller-format store in Southern California, and
Jewel-Osco is building one in Chicago. Wal-Mart plans to open four
"Marketside" stores in the Phoenix area this fall, and Whole Foods Market is
considering opening smaller stores.

And here in the northern suburbs of Pittsburgh, the grocery chain Giant
Eagle opened a Giant Eagle Express last year that is about one-sixth the
size of its regular stores. It has gas pumps, wireless Internet and
flat-screen televisions in a small cafe, a drive-through pharmacy and an
expansive delicatessen that offers sushi, rotisserie chickens and
ready-to-heat dinners.

"It's perfect," said Dusty McDonald, a 29-year-old bank teller who was
buying breakfast sandwiches recently for her co-workers at the Giant Eagle
Express. "It's on my way to work. It only takes me 10 minutes to get in and
out."

The opening of smaller stores upends a long-running trend in the grocery
business: building ever-larger stores in the belief that consumers want
choice above all. While the largest traditional grocery stores tend to be
about 85,000 square feet, some cavernous warehouse-style stores and
supercenters are two or three times that size.

Statistics compiled by the Food Marketing Institute show that the average
size of a grocery store dipped slightly in 2007 - to a median of 47,500
square feet - after 20 years of steady growth.

The biggest push in such stores is coming from the British retailer Tesco,
which made a splashy entry into the United States last fall, opening a
10,000-square-foot Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market in Las Vegas.

Since then, Tesco has opened 72 stores in Nevada, Arizona and Southern
California.

Gary Smith, founder of Encore Associates, which advises the food and
consumer goods industry, said the smaller stores opened by other chains were
"a loud message to Tesco that they are not going to be able to walk in and
grab market share."

Mr. Smith added: "It's also a way for them to do some testing for if and
when Tesco comes to their market. They are better able to counter it."

Besides Tesco, grocery retailers face competition on multiple fronts. Chains
ranging from Target to CVS to dollar stores are selling more groceries, and
some small convenience stores - long the domain of warmed-over hot dogs and
microwave burritos - are offering higher-quality food.

The big grocery chains are not thinking about closing their larger stores,
which have been a success. But they hope to capture new business with the
smaller stores, appealing to consumers on days when they do not have time
for a long shopping trip.

"The average person goes shopping for 22 minutes," said Phil Lempert, who
edits Supermarketguru.com, a Web site that tracks retail trends. "You can't
see 30,000 or 40,000 products. We are moving into an era when people want
less assortment."

Jim Hertel, managing partner at the firm Willard Bishop, which advises
supermarkets, added, "If you've got 50 feet of ketchup and what you want is
Hunt's 64-ounce and you can't find it, people get overwhelmed."

Of course, small grocery stores have been around forever, and some old-time
neighborhood markets still exist. Meanwhile, a handful of specialty
retailers have proved that shoppers will flock to smaller stores if they are
offered a novel experience.

Trader Joe's, for one, has thrived by offering a limited selection of
high-quality, relatively inexpensive products in quirky stores that are
15,000 square feet or less. Aldi and Save-A-Lot are drawing customers in
droves by selling a limited assortment of aggressively discounted products.

What distinguishes the new stores is that they are being built by more
traditional retailers, and they emphasize fresh, prepared foods for busy
consumers.

Kevin Srigley, a senior vice president at Giant Eagle, whose stores are
spread across western Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia and Maryland, said
the express store seeks to provide customers with a "smart stop to save you
time on the things you need most," in addition to offering fresh foods.

He said the idea for the express store came from Tesco stores in Europe -
his company has a longstanding relationship with the British retailer - and
from research that detailed the varying needs of consumers.

Mr. Srigley said he was pleased with many aspects of the company's first
Giant Eagle Express store, in Harmar Township, like customer reaction to the
prepared foods and baked goods. But since the store was meant as a
laboratory, he said, Giant Eagle may tweak the concept before opening more
of them.

Will customers come to the smaller stores? Analysts said that Tesco's
initial sales fell short of expectations and the company stopped opening new
ones for several months this year to assess customer feedback and make
adjustments.

Still, a Tesco spokesman, Brendan Wonnacott, said that the company was
pleased with the stores' results and that the number of customers and sales
were increasing.

"This is a format we are excited about, that our customers are excited
about," he said.

The Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market in Laguna Hills, Calif., offers row
after row of bagged produce and its own line of prepared meals that are
either chilled or frozen. Customers shopping there recently said they liked
the store, though several said they wished that Tesco carried more British
specialties.

"They have the best frozen food I've ever tasted," said Nathan Cromeenes,
35, who lives nearby and longed for English shortbread.

He said he liked not having to choose among 50 varieties of spaghetti sauce.
"They just have one, and it's really good."

Dana Gurr, a 49-year-old saleswoman in Laguna Hills, was less enthusiastic.
She said the store was sterile and the vegetables went bad quickly. "It's
not that fresh, but it is easy," she said.

The reviews were similarly mixed, though mostly positive, at the Giant Eagle
Express outside Pittsburgh.

Peter and Kim Maguire stopped by the store for some last-minute items en
route to a camping trip. They ended up buying chips, strawberries,
blueberries and hummus.

"We pop in here for little things we forget," said Ms. Maguire, 39. Her
husband, 38, added that the store has "great lunches," including sushi and
burritos.

RoseAnn Zanoli, 68, said the express store was "good when you need them."
While she found some eggs, she said she came up empty when looking for a
card for her 50th wedding anniversary. "They don't carry everything that you
need," she said."


Will Carless contributed reporting from Laguna Hills, Calif.

</>

Gregory Morrow wrote:
> http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/10/bu...10grocery.html

> The opening of smaller stores upends a long-running trend in the grocery
> business: building ever-larger stores in the belief that consumers want
> choice above all.

Good!! Some of these stores are soooo big it's too much of a chore to
get around in them. And "choice above all"? What a joke! What choice?
You get what they stock, and they stock what THEY choose, period.
Special orders? Fuggedabbouddit! Albertsons, Smiths (Kroger), Harmons
(local chain) all sing the same song: "We don't have enough demand for
that product, so we wont be ordering it for you."

The only downside to the loss of the megamarts is that there will be
even more massive empty box stores darkening commercial areas nationwide.

On Sep 10, 7:01 pm, Pennyaline > wrote:
> Gregory Morrow wrote:
> >http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/10/bu...10grocery.html
> > The opening of smaller stores upends a long-running trend in the grocery
> > business: building ever-larger stores in the belief that consumers want
> > choice above all.
>
> Good!! Some of these stores are soooo big it's too much of a chore to
> get around in them. And "choice above all"? What a joke! What choice?
> You get what they stock, and they stock what THEY choose, period.
> Special orders? Fuggedabbouddit! Albertsons, Smiths (Kroger), Harmons
> (local chain) all sing the same song: "We don't have enough demand for
> that product, so we wont be ordering it for you."
>
> The only downside to the loss of the megamarts is that there will be
> even more massive empty box stores darkening commercial areas nationwide.



Yeah

"Our corporate management has chosen not to stock that item in the
wharehouse. So, **** what you want."

A ma and pa bodega would have just found a local provider. The megas
pretending to be small, still protectecting their corporate suppliers
- complete bullshit.

Find a bodega or a real farmers' market while you still can.

Bulka

"Pennyaline" > wrote
>
> Good!! Some of these stores are soooo big it's too much of a chore to
> get around in them. And "choice above all"? What a joke! What choice?
> You get what they stock, and they stock what THEY choose, period.

That's what I found in the enormous superstores they opened,
they were oddly stocked with only one line of products, say
pet food, they'd only have Purina. Every variation of Purina, but
no other brand. They would have a lot more room and a lot more
stuff, but it was 120 more bags of the same thing.

nancy

"Gregory Morrow" > wrote in message
m...
>
> http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/10/bu...10grocery.html
>

>
> After years of building bigger stores - many larger than a football field
> and carrying 60,000 items - retailers are experimenting with radically
> smaller grocery stores that emphasize prepared meals, fresh produce and
> grab-and-go drinks.
>
> The idea is to lure time-starved shoppers who want to pick up a few items
> or
> a fast meal without wandering long grocery aisles or paying restaurant
> prices.

Makes a lot of sense. We have three grocery stores in town. Two are big and
carry everything including books, small appliances and aisles of stuff I
never look at. So, when I need one or two quick items I go to the smallest
store and grab what I need at prices often lower. In and out in about a
quarter of the time.

"bulka" > wrote in message
...
> On Sep 10, 7:01 pm, Pennyaline > wrote:
>> Gregory Morrow wrote:
>> >http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/10/bu...10grocery.html
>> > The opening of smaller stores upends a long-running trend in the
>> > grocery
>> > business: building ever-larger stores in the belief that consumers want
>> > choice above all.
>>
>> Good!! Some of these stores are soooo big it's too much of a chore to
>> get around in them. And "choice above all"? What a joke! What choice?
>> You get what they stock, and they stock what THEY choose, period.
>> Special orders? Fuggedabbouddit! Albertsons, Smiths (Kroger), Harmons
>> (local chain) all sing the same song: "We don't have enough demand for
>> that product, so we wont be ordering it for you."
>>
>> The only downside to the loss of the megamarts is that there will be
>> even more massive empty box stores darkening commercial areas nationwide.
>
>
>
> Yeah
>
> "Our corporate management has chosen not to stock that item in the
> wharehouse. So, **** what you want."
>
> A ma and pa bodega would have just found a local provider. The megas
> pretending to be small, still protectecting their corporate suppliers
> - complete bullshit.
>
> Find a bodega or a real farmers' market while you still can.
>
> Bulka

I support small local business almost exclusively. Think what would happen
if we all did...


TFM®

Pennyaline wrote:
> Gregory Morrow wrote:
>> http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/10/bu...10grocery.html
>
>
> The only downside to the loss of the megamarts is that there will be
> even more massive empty box stores darkening commercial areas
> nationwide.

How about small businesses moving in and taking back those storefront
spaces? Those comercial areas don't have to remain untenented. Of course
this requires financing in the way of small business loans. And a
willingness for the people to support those local businesses.

Jill

On Sep 10, 6:01*pm, Pennyaline > wrote:
> Gregory Morrow wrote:
> >http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/10/bu...10grocery.html
> > The opening of smaller stores upends a long-running trend in the grocery
> > business: building ever-larger stores in the belief that consumers want
> > choice above all.
>
> Good!! Some of these stores are soooo big it's too much of a chore to
> get around in them. And "choice above all"? What a joke! What choice?
> You get what they stock, and they stock what THEY choose, period.

Well, that's all fine and good up to a point. I like having choices -
and if the supermarkets are downsizing, it means more trips to more
stores just to get what I want.

I make a special once-a-month trip to a superstore (15 mile roundtrip,
which isn't very far for big-city dwellers, but it's ludicrous here)
for my International Delight creamer, because it's the only store that
stocks it. I also get my "Fresh and Natural" daily fresh fruit cups
there because they are 25 cents cheaper (each) than a store closer to
me. OTOH, they don't carry any Keebler crackers at all - I have to
have my morning snack with Sesame ones, so get those elsewhere.

We have Fareway stores which aren't as big as my regular, ordinary,
supermarket (not the supercenter chain), and when I go there, I can't
find half the items I want, by brand. It's very annoying and time
consuming, but I'm too stubborn to change what I like ;-)

N.

On Sep 10, 5:56*pm, "Gregory Morrow"
> wrote:
> http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/10/bu...10grocery.html
>
> September 10, 2008
>
> Miles of Aisles for Milk? Not Here
>
> By ANDREW MARTIN
>
> "HARMAR TOWNSHIP, Pa. - Like cars and homes, grocery stores are beginning to
> shrink.
>
> After years of building bigger stores - many larger than a football field
> and carrying 60,000 items - retailers are experimenting with radically
> smaller grocery stores that emphasize prepared meals, fresh produce and
> grab-and-go drinks.

Couldn't they find some middle ground? I mean, 500 kinds of jam is
probably overkill,
but I do all my own cooking--I never buy prepared food but I need
fresh, high-quality
meat.

I patronize a small regional grocery chain of eight stores. That's
just about the right
size. They're responsive to customer input, but still have enough
buying power. And
they have nearly everything that I use on a regular basis.

Cindy Hamilton

Gregory Morrow wrote:
> http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/10/bu...10grocery.html
>
>
> September 10, 2008
>
> Miles of Aisles for Milk? Not Here
>
> By ANDREW MARTIN
>
>
> "HARMAR TOWNSHIP, Pa. - Like cars and homes, grocery stores are beginning to
> shrink.
>
> After years of building bigger stores - many larger than a football field
> and carrying 60,000 items - retailers are experimenting with radically
> smaller grocery stores that emphasize prepared meals, fresh produce and
> grab-and-go drinks.
>
> The idea is to lure time-starved shoppers who want to pick up a few items or
> a fast meal without wandering long grocery aisles or paying restaurant
> prices.
>
> Safeway has opened a smaller-format store in Southern California, and
> Jewel-Osco is building one in Chicago. Wal-Mart plans to open four
> "Marketside" stores in the Phoenix area this fall, and Whole Foods Market is
> considering opening smaller stores.
>
> And here in the northern suburbs of Pittsburgh, the grocery chain Giant
> Eagle opened a Giant Eagle Express last year that is about one-sixth the
> size of its regular stores. It has gas pumps, wireless Internet and
> flat-screen televisions in a small cafe, a drive-through pharmacy and an
> expansive delicatessen that offers sushi, rotisserie chickens and
> ready-to-heat dinners.
>
> "It's perfect," said Dusty McDonald, a 29-year-old bank teller who was
> buying breakfast sandwiches recently for her co-workers at the Giant Eagle
> Express. "It's on my way to work. It only takes me 10 minutes to get in and
> out."
>
> The opening of smaller stores upends a long-running trend in the grocery
> business: building ever-larger stores in the belief that consumers want
> choice above all. While the largest traditional grocery stores tend to be
> about 85,000 square feet, some cavernous warehouse-style stores and
> supercenters are two or three times that size.
>
> Statistics compiled by the Food Marketing Institute show that the average
> size of a grocery store dipped slightly in 2007 - to a median of 47,500
> square feet - after 20 years of steady growth.
>
> The biggest push in such stores is coming from the British retailer Tesco,
> which made a splashy entry into the United States last fall, opening a
> 10,000-square-foot Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market in Las Vegas.
>
> Since then, Tesco has opened 72 stores in Nevada, Arizona and Southern
> California.
>
> Gary Smith, founder of Encore Associates, which advises the food and
> consumer goods industry, said the smaller stores opened by other chains were
> "a loud message to Tesco that they are not going to be able to walk in and
> grab market share."
>
> Mr. Smith added: "It's also a way for them to do some testing for if and
> when Tesco comes to their market. They are better able to counter it."
>
> Besides Tesco, grocery retailers face competition on multiple fronts. Chains
> ranging from Target to CVS to dollar stores are selling more groceries, and
> some small convenience stores - long the domain of warmed-over hot dogs and
> microwave burritos - are offering higher-quality food.
>
> The big grocery chains are not thinking about closing their larger stores,
> which have been a success. But they hope to capture new business with the
> smaller stores, appealing to consumers on days when they do not have time
> for a long shopping trip.
>
> "The average person goes shopping for 22 minutes," said Phil Lempert, who
> edits Supermarketguru.com, a Web site that tracks retail trends. "You can't
> see 30,000 or 40,000 products. We are moving into an era when people want
> less assortment."
>
> Jim Hertel, managing partner at the firm Willard Bishop, which advises
> supermarkets, added, "If you've got 50 feet of ketchup and what you want is
> Hunt's 64-ounce and you can't find it, people get overwhelmed."
>
> Of course, small grocery stores have been around forever, and some old-time
> neighborhood markets still exist. Meanwhile, a handful of specialty
> retailers have proved that shoppers will flock to smaller stores if they are
> offered a novel experience.
>
> Trader Joe's, for one, has thrived by offering a limited selection of
> high-quality, relatively inexpensive products in quirky stores that are
> 15,000 square feet or less. Aldi and Save-A-Lot are drawing customers in
> droves by selling a limited assortment of aggressively discounted products.
>
> What distinguishes the new stores is that they are being built by more
> traditional retailers, and they emphasize fresh, prepared foods for busy
> consumers.
>
> Kevin Srigley, a senior vice president at Giant Eagle, whose stores are
> spread across western Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia and Maryland, said
> the express store seeks to provide customers with a "smart stop to save you
> time on the things you need most," in addition to offering fresh foods.
>
> He said the idea for the express store came from Tesco stores in Europe -
> his company has a longstanding relationship with the British retailer - and
> from research that detailed the varying needs of consumers.
>
> Mr. Srigley said he was pleased with many aspects of the company's first
> Giant Eagle Express store, in Harmar Township, like customer reaction to the
> prepared foods and baked goods. But since the store was meant as a
> laboratory, he said, Giant Eagle may tweak the concept before opening more
> of them.
>
> Will customers come to the smaller stores? Analysts said that Tesco's
> initial sales fell short of expectations and the company stopped opening new
> ones for several months this year to assess customer feedback and make
> adjustments.
>
> Still, a Tesco spokesman, Brendan Wonnacott, said that the company was
> pleased with the stores' results and that the number of customers and sales
> were increasing.
>
> "This is a format we are excited about, that our customers are excited
> about," he said.
>
> The Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market in Laguna Hills, Calif., offers row
> after row of bagged produce and its own line of prepared meals that are
> either chilled or frozen. Customers shopping there recently said they liked
> the store, though several said they wished that Tesco carried more British
> specialties.
>
> "They have the best frozen food I've ever tasted," said Nathan Cromeenes,
> 35, who lives nearby and longed for English shortbread.
>
> He said he liked not having to choose among 50 varieties of spaghetti sauce.
> "They just have one, and it's really good."
>
> Dana Gurr, a 49-year-old saleswoman in Laguna Hills, was less enthusiastic.
> She said the store was sterile and the vegetables went bad quickly. "It's
> not that fresh, but it is easy," she said.
>
> The reviews were similarly mixed, though mostly positive, at the Giant Eagle
> Express outside Pittsburgh.
>
> Peter and Kim Maguire stopped by the store for some last-minute items en
> route to a camping trip. They ended up buying chips, strawberries,
> blueberries and hummus.
>
> "We pop in here for little things we forget," said Ms. Maguire, 39. Her
> husband, 38, added that the store has "great lunches," including sushi and
> burritos.
>
> RoseAnn Zanoli, 68, said the express store was "good when you need them."
> While she found some eggs, she said she came up empty when looking for a
> card for her 50th wedding anniversary. "They don't carry everything that you
> need," she said."
>
>
> Will Carless contributed reporting from Laguna Hills, Calif.
>
> </>
>
>
>
>

I work about 4 miles away from this place. It is actually a
glorified convienence store. Pretty much what you would find in a
7-Eleven with a much larger frozen food section and a kinda of Deli
section. Not really anything to write home about.

"TFM®" > wrote in message
> I support small local business almost exclusively. Think what would
> happen if we all did...
>
>
>

They would make more money and build bigger stores

Edwin Pawlowski wrote:
> "TFM®" > wrote in message
>> I support small local business almost exclusively. Think what would
>> happen if we all did...
>>
>>
>>
>
> They would make more money and build bigger stores

But maybe they would invest some of their return into the communities
that support them at the same time

<something the big chains and warehouses do not>

Pennyaline wrote:

>>> I support small local business almost exclusively. Think what would
>>> happen if we all did...
>>>
>>
>> They would make more money and build bigger stores
>
> But maybe they would invest some of their return into the communities that
> support them at the same time
>
> <something the big chains and warehouses do not>


You mean like Wal-Mart invested its return back into the community when it
was still a tiny five-and-dime in Bentonville, Arkansas, turning Bentonville
into the thriving municipal powerhouse that it is today?

Oh, wait, that didn't happen.

There *are* businesses both large and small out there which plow back some
money into their local communities. Ben & Jerry's is one such big business.
There are also businesses both large and small which are obviously driven by
greed. (ExxonMobil leaps to mind here.)

Bob

Edwin Pawlowski > wrote:

>"TFM®" > wrote in message

>> I support small local business almost exclusively. Think what would
>> happen if we all did...

>They would make more money and build bigger stores

This is why I only support those small, local businesses
who are not inclined to do this.

Steve

Bob Terwilliger wrote:
> Pennyaline wrote:
>
>>>> I support small local business almost exclusively. Think what would
>>>> happen if we all did...
>>>>
>>>
>>> They would make more money and build bigger stores
>>
>> But maybe they would invest some of their return into the communities
>> that
>> support them at the same time
>>
>> <something the big chains and warehouses do not>
>
>
> You mean like Wal-Mart invested its return back into the community when it
> was still a tiny five-and-dime in Bentonville, Arkansas, turning
> Bentonville
> into the thriving municipal powerhouse that it is today?
>
> Oh, wait, that didn't happen.

I did say "maybe," didn't I.



> There *are* businesses both large and small out there which plow back some
> money into their local communities. Ben & Jerry's is one such big business.
> There are also businesses both large and small which are obviously
> driven by
> greed. (ExxonMobil leaps to mind here.)

Ben & Jerry's might, but most big businesses don't give anything back.
From what I've seen, they spend most of their spare time trying to plow
local businesses under and take over that marketshare. Not much of the
spirit of cooperation and competition in play here.

Pennyaline wrote:

> Good!! Some of these stores are soooo big it's too much of a chore to
> get around in them. And "choice above all"? What a joke! What choice?
> You get what they stock, and they stock what THEY choose, period.
> Special orders? Fuggedabbouddit! Albertsons, Smiths (Kroger), Harmons
> (local chain) all sing the same song: "We don't have enough demand for
> that product, so we wont be ordering it for you."

I have mixed feelings. I find that some of the larger stores have lots
and lots of variety of the things that I have no use for. I don't buy
prepared foods. I am more interested in a wide variety of meats, fruits
and vegetables and ethnic ingredients. It doesn't hurt for them to have
a good in store bakery.

I have to say that none of the local stores are mega stores in the same
magnitude that i have seen in the US, and even those that I have been in
in the US are probably smaller than what you are thinking off.

I split my shopping up between a number of stores. When I want to stock
up on chicken I go to a small family run grocery that always sells
chicken cheaper than anyone else and often has specials on them that are
hard to beat. And it is good chicken, not that injected crap. I won't
buy that. I am not crazy about their beef. When I want to stock up on
ethic stuff I go to a larger grocery store, which always has nice lamb.
In the summer I buy fruit and vegetables at local fruit stands, and in
the winter I get them from a discount store that has great produce.

I make a weekly trip to the local Dutch butcher because he has great
bacon and breakfast sausage as well as great deals on good beef, and his
Italian sausage is the best around. When he has chicken it is good and
cheap... when he has it.


> The only downside to the loss of the megamarts is that there will be
> even more massive empty box stores darkening commercial areas nationwide.

Not a problem. They can be torn down.

Dave Smith wrote:
> Pennyaline wrote:
>> The only downside to the loss of the megamarts is that there will be
>> even more massive empty box stores darkening commercial areas nationwide.
>
> Not a problem. They can be torn down.

Actually, they probably can't be. Communities don't want empty lots,
particularly not in the center of shopping areas. These buildings are
multi-purpose spaces and theoretically adaptable and suitable for any
business to use... if they can afford to rent that amount of space. The
buildings generally wont be torn down unless a new use is approved for
the ground it is sitting on.

For example (and an example of an unusual victory amid recent Wal-Mart
v. The Little Guy wars): In these parts, a newly built K-Mart has closed
up shop and left a very large seven-year-old building empty. The
building is too big and too expensive for other businesses to use.
Wal-Mart saw the empty space and appealed to the town to let them open a
new store there. The town agreed, and Wal-Mart filled a building plan
and applied for a permit to demolish the existing building. The town
said no, that demolition would not be approved and that Wal-Mart must
use the existing building as it is almost identical in size and
amenities to the proposed new construction, and in comparison to other
Wal-Marts in the region the layout of the existing structure and amount
of parking already available is sufficient for Wal-Mart's needs. The
town also specified that if no new business intended to use the existing
structure or could not overwhelmingly prove need for new use of the
area, the old building would continue to stand empty.

On Sep 12, 12:49*am, "Bob Terwilliger" >
wrote:
> Pennyaline wrote:
> >>> I support small local business almost exclusively. *Think what would
> >>> happen if we all did...
>
> >> They would make more money and build bigger stores
>
> > But maybe they would invest some of their return into the communities that
> > support them at the same time
>
> > <something the big chains and warehouses do not>
>
> You mean like Wal-Mart invested its return back into the community when it
> was still a tiny five-and-dime in Bentonville, Arkansas, turning Bentonville
> into the thriving municipal powerhouse that it is today?
>
> Oh, wait, that didn't happen.
>
> There *are* businesses both large and small out there which plow back some
> money into their local communities. Ben & Jerry's is one such big business.
> There are also businesses both large and small which are obviously driven by
> greed. (ExxonMobil leaps to mind here.)
>
> Bob

The local newspaper fills a whole page with listings of donations to
the food bank, disease research, shelters, and community groups from
most of the supermarkets, drug stores, Target, and many of the local
businesses Many of them sponsor the charter schools, donate to
public schools for programs that the city budget cuts, and all of them
donate something whenever members of churches and civic organizations
show up asking for money for various activities.

Or are you talking about something else I'm missing?
maxine in ri

On Sep 10, 8:42*pm, "Nancy Young" > wrote:
> "Pennyaline" > wrote
>
>
>
> > Good!! Some of these stores are soooo big it's too much of a chore to
> > get around in them. And "choice above all"? What a joke! What choice?
> > You get what they stock, and they stock what THEY choose, period.
>
> That's what I found in the enormous superstores they opened,
> they were oddly stocked with only one line of products, say
> pet food, they'd only have Purina. *Every variation of Purina, but
> no other brand. *They would have a lot more room and a lot more
> stuff, but it was 120 more bags of the same thing. *
>
> nancy


I think that's part of the Wal-Martization of, well, everything. When
I was a kid it was unthinkable that one day people would buy shoes,
pork chops, guinea pigs and tires at the same place. Wal Mart is
grinding the personality of the country to death under its gigantic
foot. Everything is all about cheap now. Not quality or variety or
concern for local communities or businesses.

In article > ,
"Gregory Morrow" > wrote:

> http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/10/bu...10grocery.html
>
>
We do our weekly shopping run at a local chain, Central Market. Their
produce, fish, and meat counters are first rate. They also have an
extensive wine & beer section. Over the years we've come to know
several of the employees and trust their recommendations. On occasion I
stop at an upscale convenience store on my way home from work when I
bike. Other times I'll stop at QFC (owned by Kroger). We have Safeways
in town, but I refuse to darken their doorsteps. They underwhelmed me
when I shopped there in the early 80's and they haven't improved much
since.

Cindy

--
C.J. Fuller

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