supermarket dominance .
Jul 29, 2012 15:38:11 #
I just wanna throw this up in the air.
Simply put.......why are the big supermarket chains allowed to build their Factory sized shops slap bang in the middle of a thriving local town centre that already has all the shops it needs thereby driving the small shopkeepers away and rendereing the small town empty? All that is left is government subsidised charity shops and loads of foriegn eaterys !
Simply put.......why are the big supermarket chains allowed to build their Factory sized shops slap bang in the middle of a thriving local town centre that already has all the shops it needs thereby driving the small shopkeepers away and rendereing the small town empty? All that is left is government subsidised charity shops and loads of foriegn eaterys !
Jul 29, 2012 15:45:59 #
billypip wrote:
I just wanna throw this up in the air.
Simply put.......why are the big supermarket chains allowed to build their Factory sized shops slap bang in the middle of a thriving local town centre that already has all the shops it needs thereby driving the small shopkeepers away and rendereing the small town empty? All that is left is government subsidised charity shops and loads of foriegn eaterys !
Simply put.......why are the big supermarket chains allowed to build their Factory sized shops slap bang in the middle of a thriving local town centre that already has all the shops it needs thereby driving the small shopkeepers away and rendereing the small town empty? All that is left is government subsidised charity shops and loads of foriegn eaterys !
What are you talking about? Your observation makes little or no sense. In all of California ther are no "factory sized" grocery stores. Walmart has a grocery store inside their existing building, as does Target. What else are you talking about? What giant grocery chain has put people out of business?
Jul 29, 2012 16:25:37 #
it is called freedom of choice. I believe he is referring to walmart.
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Jul 30, 2012 01:32:52 #
i will try and make sense of what is an observation, and apologies, as they are not all factory sized. From one end of a town right down to the other end ( approx 2 miles ) there are 5 major supermarket stores and 2 of which are within 100 yds of each other. In an ideal world this would be ok, they compete with each other thereby offering the shopper greatest choice and best prices. local shopkeepers, of which there used to be many, could no longer compete. As a result, we seem to have lost that small town, social shopping experience..........maybe its just me lamenting the loss of this local interraction.
Jul 30, 2012 01:38:26 #
I understand your lamentations of losing the more personal shopping experiences but the market has voted with their shopping dollars. I try to support local/small vendors but I am not ongoing pay large premiums to do so. I'm sure any were sorry to see buggy whip manufacturers go out of business but markets evolve and that means weaker or inefficient entities will not survive.
Jul 30, 2012 07:05:22 #
gmcase wrote:
I understand your lamentations of losing the more personal shopping experiences but the market has voted with their shopping dollars. I try to support local/small vendors but I am not ongoing pay large premiums to do so. I'm sure any were sorry to see buggy whip manufacturers go out of business but markets evolve and that means weaker or inefficient entities will not survive.
I think you nailed it, gm. In theory we should love the market we have today...as you say: we voted for it with our $$. I like the smaller places because they're usually quicker. Seems like in the big stores buying $5 worth of stuff takes the same time as $200 worth of stuff.
Jul 30, 2012 07:56:07 #
Since the OP is located in England, and I am located in America, I have no way of replying because I know nothing about the British system of food distribution and marketing.
Now, just in my own town, I am very fortunate. Within a square mile area we have 5 major grocery stores, including a Walmart and a Target (which has a smaller grocery department).
However, one of my favorite places is a locally owned discount grocery store where we can get great buys on all kinds of grocery items for $1.50 or less. Frozen meats are a little higher, and there is no fresh produce or dairy section ... they're down the street a few blocks at the more expensive stores.
Now, just in my own town, I am very fortunate. Within a square mile area we have 5 major grocery stores, including a Walmart and a Target (which has a smaller grocery department).
However, one of my favorite places is a locally owned discount grocery store where we can get great buys on all kinds of grocery items for $1.50 or less. Frozen meats are a little higher, and there is no fresh produce or dairy section ... they're down the street a few blocks at the more expensive stores.
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Jul 30, 2012 12:07:24 #
billypip wrote:
I just wanna throw this up in the air.
Simply put.......why are the big supermarket chains allowed to build their Factory sized shops slap bang in the middle of a thriving local town centre that already has all the shops it needs thereby driving the small shopkeepers away and rendereing the small town empty? All that is left is government subsidised charity shops and loads of foriegn eaterys !
Simply put.......why are the big supermarket chains allowed to build their Factory sized shops slap bang in the middle of a thriving local town centre that already has all the shops it needs thereby driving the small shopkeepers away and rendereing the small town empty? All that is left is government subsidised charity shops and loads of foriegn eaterys !
I know exactly what you mean, my daughter lives in a small town on the outskirts of Leeds, the charm of the place has been 'demolished' since the supermarket and charity shops arrived. Such a shame. Without wishing to offend, I am not sure some US people will quite understand the 'charm' of our little town shopping experience as in many places things are very much different in the US. Heres a couple of pictures to follow.
Thriving town center shopping
If you wanted sweets (candies) go to the Sweet Shop.
If you fancy a snack - go to the pie shop - all freshly made - Yum yum.
Jul 30, 2012 12:31:43 #
I wonder what D. H. Lawrence would make of his old town if he were to see it now ?
Jul 30, 2012 12:55:50 #
billypip wrote:
i will try and make sense of what is an observatio... (show quote)
those little shops need to specialize in something the big box shops can't deliver.
Jul 30, 2012 16:38:10 #
I agree liebgard but the big chains seem to have it all sown up. In my town there was a cheap shop that catered for all your grocery needs at much lower prices than ALL of the major chains and the shop was always packed with shoppers that had to watch every penny.......forget about pounds. Then one of the giants bought out this small chain and instantly closed down this shop and built a big store within 50 yds ! There will come the day when only one of these Behemoths will remain.....god forbid it dont happen because then we will know that they are the pipers calling the tune.....how many branded products have you seen dissappear from the supermarket shelf...........they sell what gives them profit, not what we like but like the sheep humans are.....we follow.
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Jul 30, 2012 18:32:00 #
billypip wrote:
I agree liebgard but the big chains seem to have i... (show quote)
yes, it is lamentable. What's the answer?
Jul 30, 2012 18:46:16 #
Cheap crap will drive out quality almost every time. No one ever went broke underestimating the public taste.
We used to have a small hardware store in in my town. In twenty years of shopping there, not one time did they not have the part or tool I needed. Home Depot and Lowes drove them out of business. Neither one has the breadth of product the little hardware store had. I asked a Lowes employee why the never have what I need. His answer was that the big box store has a selection that is narrow, but deep (not much variety, but a crapload of what they do carry), the small store had a wide, but shallow selection (lots of variety,but only a few of any one product line).
Even the Lowes employee lamented the demise of our hardwares store his employer drove away.
At the little hardware store, you learned to not ask for a product as much as describe your problem or project. They would make sure you bought the right product - not always the most expensive one.
We used to have a small hardware store in in my town. In twenty years of shopping there, not one time did they not have the part or tool I needed. Home Depot and Lowes drove them out of business. Neither one has the breadth of product the little hardware store had. I asked a Lowes employee why the never have what I need. His answer was that the big box store has a selection that is narrow, but deep (not much variety, but a crapload of what they do carry), the small store had a wide, but shallow selection (lots of variety,but only a few of any one product line).
Even the Lowes employee lamented the demise of our hardwares store his employer drove away.
At the little hardware store, you learned to not ask for a product as much as describe your problem or project. They would make sure you bought the right product - not always the most expensive one.
Jul 30, 2012 23:36:47 #
davpal
Loc: long island
THE CLOSING OF SMALL BUSINESS CAN BE DUE TO HIGH RENTS. SHOPPING CENTERS OWNED BY BIG CORPORATIONS THAT WANT TO SQUEEZE ALL THE
MONEY FROM EACH STORE. THE CARD STORE IN MY AREA WAS PAYING6K PER MONTH FOR RENT. HE CLOSED THE STORE AND DID NOT PAY THE RENT FOR
3 MONTHS AS IT WAS A BUSINESS NOT PERSONAL BY GOING BANKRUPT THE
LANDLORD COULD NOT SUE THE PERSON..HOPE THE GREEDY LANDLORD
GOT ULCERS. IT IS PAST A YEAR AND THE STORE IS CLOSED
MONEY FROM EACH STORE. THE CARD STORE IN MY AREA WAS PAYING6K PER MONTH FOR RENT. HE CLOSED THE STORE AND DID NOT PAY THE RENT FOR
3 MONTHS AS IT WAS A BUSINESS NOT PERSONAL BY GOING BANKRUPT THE
LANDLORD COULD NOT SUE THE PERSON..HOPE THE GREEDY LANDLORD
GOT ULCERS. IT IS PAST A YEAR AND THE STORE IS CLOSED
Jul 31, 2012 01:02:37 #
CaptainC wrote:
Cheap crap will drive out quality almost every tim... (show quote)
This hits home with me. The loss of the old local lumberyards and hardware stores was a big loss for me. I missed the wide number of products and the personal and knowledgeable assistance. I miss the wonderful distinct fragrances of the old places. I am a very proficient word worker and going to HD or Lowes sometimes feels like trying to buy a Fine art painting at a Walmart. I feel no remorse for avoiding them and shopping on line.
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