Wal-Mart's Effect on Local Economies
The superstore chain known as Wal-Mart largely effects local and global economies as the premier super retailer that strategically offers more choices with lower prices. Wal-Mart has become a goods conglomerate for consumers who previously shopped at several stores to get the products they needed for their families. With the help of Wal-Mart, consumers can now save time while shopping at only one store as opposed to several. Since Wal-Mart drives prices down, the consumer can also save precious money as they shop in the one stop shop for everything one might need. This type of immediate economic development would likely only be encouraged by communities; however, there have been many who have protested Wal-Mart coming to their town. This unusual behavior forces the investigation of the effects Wal-Mart has on the economies where it locates its superstores. The effects of the “Wal-Mart economy” are felt globally as economists and city officials around the United States continue to argue Wal-Mart’s benefits and negative affects it has on local businesses and overall economies.
Before 1962, there were not many large corporations or large retailers. The nation was dependant on its relationship with the “mom and pop” stores. These small independent stores were a common way of shopping across the country. They were typically a single-family owned convenience store located somewhere in or near the town you lived in. Most people went to these small convenience stores to do all of their grocery and household shopping.
Sam Walton had operated a store in the Butler Brothers' Ben Franklin chain in Bentonville, Arkansas. Leveraging his previous experience, Walton traveled the country to research his idea of a new way of discount retail ...