[Vision2020] Re: Re: Walmart, the big domino.........

[Chasuk]

My objection to Wal-Mart, or any big superstore, is admittedly
subjective.  For me, it is purely a quality of life issue, not to be
confused with standard of living.  Doing all of my shopping at one big
Megamart is convenient, yes, and usually cheaper, yes, but the cost of
this convenience and "cheapness" is, in my opinion, quality of life.

True story: I moved to the UK over 25 years ago, where I Iived for
many years.  All of the stores were closed on Sundays (with a few
peculiar exceptions), most shops shut by 5:30pm, and had early closing
at least one day a week.  It was bloody annoying at first, but when I
finally adjusted, I liked it.  I had to shop separately at the
butchers, the bakers, and the fruiterers (a real word), and I became
friendly with most of the shopkeepers.

I'd been there two weeks when I went into a pork butchers to buy a
ham.  I'd never met the butcher before in my life.  He saw me eying a
large ham, so when I plonked down money for a smaller one, he asked
why I'd not purchased the one I wanted.  I explained truthfully that
it was more than I could afford.  He handed me the larger ham and told
me to pay him when I had the money.

I shopped there for many many years after that.

When the small stores have been vanquished by the Megamarts, they are
gone forever, and with them a quality of life that can never be
restored.  Maybe I'm selfish to want to hold on to that, but I'll live
with myself.

I've lived in both worlds, and I know which one I prefer.  Most people
that I know, especially if they are young, don't realize what they are
giving up by embracing the Magamarts.  The market where I bought a lot
of my fruit and vegetables had been in the same place for nearly 700
years.  For some reason that I can't explain, that knowledge felt
comfortable.  It felt "good."  The sausage that I bought at the
sausage shop (yes, a distinct sausage shop) sold sausage that was
different than the sausages that I might buy in the next village, or
the village after that, or the village after that.  Ditto the fresh
bread from the bakery, and, largely, the pint of beer from the pub
supported by the local brewery.

You don't miss it until it is gone, and I've been missing it ever
since I left England almost a decade ago.