Shopkeepers Are Antidote To Big Boxes

Many stores simply shut their doors at the first sign of Wal-Mart, rather than prolong the misery of trying to compete against the invincible giant. According to noted writer Jay Walljasper what seems like the inevitable march of economic history is not necessarily so. Take Powell, Wyoming. Despite a Wal-Mart in a nearby town, Powell Mercantile, a downtown store that sells clothing of all kinds, thrives. That’s because the community owns it: 500 citizens put up money to launch the store because they didn’t want their Main Street boarded up.