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I have to agree with VXF. Mom and Pop stores are great in theory but I actually prefer having a larger selection and at a cheaper price.
There is no incentive to open this type of store when the store can't use the savings from economy of scale to reduce price. It is also a canard that you get better service in a mom 'n pop store. I've had nothing but fine customer service at most major stores and even Amazon's customer service has always been top notch. This isn't always the case at mom 'n pop stores. I can also shop at B&N at 10:00pm but the local mom 'n pop near me closes at 5:00pm.
I don't know how they do it in Europe, but imagine if farmers were allowed to set the retail price of produce, meats, and other groceries. Supermarkets operate on very tiny margins, but if farmers set the prices then we could go back to the neighborhood grocery store. Sure the prices would be twice as high, there would be no selection, they would close at 5:00pm and on Sundays, and you could only get a job in a grocery store if you owned the store, BUT it would be so worth it.
Same for the hardware store -- life will be so much better without those Home Depots and Lowe's. Yes, the selection sucks at small hardware stores. Yes, the cost is a lot higher at small hardware stores. Yes, small stores are often closed when you're not at work. Yes, you don't have to own a hardware store to work at a place like Home Depot. Yes, the big stores have great customer service and things like Saturday classes. BUT, the small hardware stores remind me of Andy Griffith and Mayberry. Do you want Mayberry or the Home Depot? Mayberry is waaaaay better!
Don't even get me started on Walmart. They are pure unadulterated evil. Evil, I tell you!
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