Big Box Exit Spells Trouble for Local Economy

"The retail area in Dublin near the 580 and 680 freeways looks like it's halfway to becoming a ghost town.

A slumping economy has transformed part of this city, where Mervyns, Circuit City and Expo Design Center have all closed recently, into an extreme example of the malaise affecting shopping centers across the Bay Area.

The retail exodus is forcing some cities to scramble in the face of lost sales tax revenue at a time when money is already tight. Meanwhile, they're grappling with how to resurrect the zombie neighborhoods, where many of the remaining merchants complain about declining foot traffic and the eyesores of buildings plastered with "for lease" signs."