Big business vs small business in your area

[Straze]

Are big businesses running the small businesses in your local area out of town? I am sure you know what i mean where by small business has been serving the community for a long time only to be driven out of town by big business who couldnt careless about the local community. For example in Burton there was a deli that was serving the local community for a long time then a few years ago the new Springbank Plaza opened up which includes supermarket chain known as Woolworths (i have feeling the shopping centre was their idea) since then the deli has now closed. Please feel free to post your thoughts or story.

[Omicron]

The short answer is, not anymore. For a time there was a bit of upheaval whilst the market sorted out the good stuff from the chaff, but now that the dust has settled, a bit of stability has returned. The quality of the remaining small businesses is definitely better than it used to be, and there's a reasonable mix of goods and services offered. We're not talking just main road shops in retail clusters, either - there is still the odd standalone shop to be found right in the middle of quiet suburban streets, too.

Higher density isn't necessarily a precursor to more local shops, either - note how successful corner shops were back in the immediate post-war years smack-bang in the middle of quarter-acre suburbia. Correlated, probably, but certainly not causal.

[peas_and_corn]

The owner of the Dernancourt porn store on Lower North East road apparently had a sudden drop in trade. Apparently regulars noticed her car was no longer in the car park and thought she had sold up and didn't want to give their business to the hypothetical new owner. She just bought a new car.

[Queen Anne]

The short answer is, not anymore. For a time there was a bit of upheaval whilst the market sorted out the good stuff from the chaff, but now that the dust has settled, a bit of stability has returned. The quality of the remaining small businesses is definitely better than it used to be, and there's a reasonable mix of goods and services offered. We're not talking just main road shops in retail clusters, either - there is still the odd standalone shop to be found right in the middle of quiet suburban streets, too.

Higher density isn't necessarily a precursor to more local shops, either - note how successful corner shops were back in the immediate post-war years smack-bang in the middle of quarter-acre suburbia. Correlated, probably, but certainly not causal.

I just went on a walk through my own 1930's-50's "quarter-acre suburbia" neighbourhood and was really struck by the number of homes that had clearly housed small, stand alone shops in days gone past. I'm imagining these as places`where neighbours passed the time of day and as places to which people walked. This would have added some much needed street life to my suburb and I'm sad those days are gone (in my neighbourhood at least).

I'd like to share your confidence in the stability of the retail mix, Omi, but I think the jury's still out on this one. Perhaps I am just spooked by what I saw in America, but I feel we need to be mindful that our small businesses are vulnerable. I'm not sure we can assume they will be OK up against big retail if they simply provide a superior product or service.

*Edit* corrected what I wrote regarding the age of my neighbourhood.

[AtD]

There are oodles of small shopping centres and corner stores in the shadow of Tea Tree Plaza that have existed as long as I can remember. Most of them exist because people can't be bothered with the hassle of Westfields. Most of them are fully leased too.