Super-stores And/or Neighborhood Markets

Many years ago, most places had neighborhood markets, and often delivered food to people who called in and ordered it.
Then, we went to supermarkets with weekly sales, and shopping in America changed for many years. The supermarkets blended in with stores that sold clothing and other household goods, and we then had places like KMart , followed by Walmart, and other super-centers where you could do all of your shopping in one place.

Now, it seems like the pendulum might be swinging back the other way, and people are starting to do grocery shopping at smaller stores again. With more and more online shopping, I think that this will continue to increase. It is hard to even find cashiers at Walmart anymore, and we are fortunate if there is more than one lane open.

Buying my groceries and having them ready for curbside pickup, or having them delivered is much simpler than standing in the long lines at the grocery stores.
We have started shopping at the Dollars stores more, too, when we just need something simple like Bobby needing a paint-holder and roller, or something that we can go in and get quickly.

I was reading yesterday that Kroger and Albertsons, the two largest grocery chains (both own multiple grocery chains) are working on a merger, which would make them one gigantic chain if the merger goes through.
Apparently, they have to close some stores if that happens, and my thought is that they will close the stores that bring in the least revenue, which makes sense.
These are probably older stores in poor neighborhoods, and this part makes me sad. Our Kroger store did just that , a few years ago.
Many people here do not drive, and took the city bus there to go shopping, and were devastated when it closed down.
That is when I ended up having to shop at Walmart because it was the closest store after Kroger closed.

Anyway, now I am wondering if the Kroger/Albertsons merger will be making more super stores or more of the small groceries, more like the Walmart Neighborhood markets. It seems to me that this might be the direction we are heading in at this point.

 

I think much of this depends on the location. The expanding suburbs where housing in in one spot and commerce is centralized had a big impact on the changes you describe, Yvonne. Out in my rural area, there are still some small stores (and a number of shut down stores that were in old houses), but they don't carry meats or fresh produce or anything else that might spoil...it's beverages, smokes and boxed & canned goods.

Of course, everything goes in cycles. Outside of DC, the older suburbs expanded and the original business districts got shut down as people preferred the strip malls. Then there were enclosed shopping malls where you stayed inside as you went from store-to-store that took away from the strip malls. Concurrent with that, the old business districts were renovated, but their new occupants were boutique stores (home of the $10 ice cream cone) and not places normal folks shop. Aside from some high end restaurants, most of those businesses struggle.

Interestingly, the internet has got people used to buying things that have never seen or touched, kinda like much of the old style home delivery you speak of used to be.

 

I think it's a combination of politicians & developers/businesses keeping the Gravy Train going, and the public tiring of one thing and seeking out the new. Dunno know if one's the horse and one's the cart, or if they are equally causal.

Regarding Walmart killing local businesses: decades ago when this subject first came up, I read an article in Smithsonian Magazine of all places that made a case for the opposite. It said that lots of existing businesses sort of laid down and let it happen, while others took advantage of the draw to their area that Walmart provided, changed their business model and thrived. I don't recall if the article stated whether success/failure fell along specific store types (food, clothing, hardware, etc.) The Walmart near me opened in 2008, 2 years before I moved here. At first there was just Walmart and Lowes. That area has continuously expanded. Now there are a ton of businesses (a bunch of eateries, a couple of auto parts stores, a couple of dollar-type stores, a 24 hour gym, a Verizon store, etc.) I don't know if there were any existing stores that got shoved out when Walmart was first built.

 

Shopping malls killed local stores, and online shopping is killing shopping malls. This leaves an opening for neighborhood stores operated by people willing and able to offer the personalized service that people are looking for.