[montréaliste]

Originally Posted by Pedestrian

As Ronald Reagan said, "Government isn't the solution, government is the problem." There needs to be a MIX of store types and FREEDOM to build and operate, with appropriate controls on physical appearance and form, what the market wants.

I live in a city that has gone too far in keeping out national and "big box" chains, resulting in prices for many staples that only the rich can afford. I mean the service and quality at mom/pop grocers selling organic "heritage" meats can be superb, but my cat doesn't now how much I paid for her national branded litter (and truth be told, Wal-Mart sells a store brand that's better and cheaper). If I buy it anywhere in SF, I'm going to pay 30% more than at Wal-Mart so guess where I buy it: Walmart.com (free shipping).

In NY and in some other large cities, it is common to put what might be free-standing "big box" stores in separate "fold-up" buildings in the middle of acres of parking rather into retrofitted spaces in older downtown buildings. So the common form of such stores isn't the only option when its inappropriate as in heavily urbanized areas. We in SF are also taking what historically were traditional supermarkets with suburban-style parking lots, building housing on the lots and putting the supermarket on the ground floor or even a basement floor (with some but not as much parking below that). The same could be done wth any laege format retail.

Yes, and by the same token, I think Ronald Reagan probably consumed abusive amounts of jelly beans.