Evil lurking on the outskirts of town

I'm sure by now most of you are aware that Wal-Mart is the world's biggest retailer. They're bigger than god, and they make more money than General Motors. There are two problems with Wal-Mart, (a) the stores are ugly, and attract more similar big-box retailers and crappy bar and grill restaurants, and (b) they take away business from the small shops that make up a small town or a city. This is a problem. A huge problem, in fact. Small towns are disappearing in America because of this suburban sprawl/blight. I know, this is a topic I've visited before, but there's a new reason to be concerned. The National Trust for Historical Preservation has placed the entire state of Vermont on their 2004 list of most endangered places. This isn't just a town or an historic district, this is a whole freakin' state! You wanna know why? Wal-Mart, that's why. Her's what the National Trust has to say about it:

History: Big-box development typically occurs on the outskirts of town, consuming farmland and open space, fueling sprawl and other problems associated with insensitive expansion. Communities often welcome these large stores in the hope that they will bring economic benefits. Too often, however, the stores bring hidden costs and cause significant economic and social harm.

Threat: The distinctive characteristics that define Vermont – historic towns, villages and rural landscapes – could be lost if sprawl-type development is allowed to occur in a haphazard, out-of-scale, land-consuming manner. The one-size-fits-all big-box “template” has proven to be detrimental to communities across the United States because of its negative economic and environmental impact on historic downtowns and local businesses. The size and design of these stores often overwhelm their surroundings, and impersonal corporate identity too often trumps community character.

Solution: The arrival of big-box sprawl often fostered by retailers such as Wal-Mart has been resisted by increasing numbers of communities that are determined to prevent or minimize the loss of their open space and the erosion of the economic vitality of their traditional business districts. People want and should have easy access to basic goods at low prices – but they also have the right to determine how their communities should grow and what they want to preserve and protect. At the very least, communities should accept big-box development with their eyes open and understand its long-term costs. Some big-box stores have adapted to local standards and worked to fit in gracefully with existing commercial districts. Some have even located in recycled vacant properties in existing downtowns. Vermonters should learn from what has happened elsewhere and persuade Wal-Mart and other large retailers to adapt the way they do business so as to enhance existing communities. Wal-Mart should change to accommodate Vermont, not the other way around.


beware of the box