It is argued that local and little enterprises are going to disappear due to the rapid development of large retail chains and businesses. There are those who say that this trend will have a detrimental impact on local communities. This essay totally agrees with that statement. I strongly agree with this perspective, as the disappearance of independent businesses undermines social cohesion and shrinks cultural identity.
To begin with, small businesses serve as vital social hubs that foster interpersonal connections within communities. Unlike large supermarkets, local shops and family-run establishments cultivate meaningful relationships between shopkeepers and customers. These everyday interactions contribute to a sense of mutual trust, which is essential for a thriving community.For instance, local skate shops in California are closing daily due to competition from large retail chains. While it is more cost-effective to manufacture skateboards at mass-market retailers such as Target, this trend is contributing to the decline of skateboarding culture and communities on the West Side. A skate shop serves not only as a venue for purchasing skate components but also as a vital hub for community life, where individuals gather to construct boards collaboratively and learn new techniques. The closure of such establishments therefore leads to erosion of social networks.
Furthermore, the dominance of supermarkets contributes to the homogenisation of communities, making them less unique in character. Local enterprises often reflect the traditions and cultural heritage of the places where they are established. They usually offer distinctive products that cannot be replicated by retail chains. A great example that will fully showcase the problem would be the North Side of the US. Large supermarkets are completely dominating in that region, every place in that part of the country is relatively the same, it is still possible to distinguish large cities, but speaking about small towns, they are almost identical. It is hard to find any local shops there, inasmuch as many local people are going only to Walmart. As local shops disappear, communities risk becoming indistinguishable from one another, resulting in a loss of cultural richness as it was stated in the example above.
Taking everything into account, the rapid expansion of large retail chains poses a serious threat to local communities. By weakening social ties and eroding cultural distinctiveness can indeed lead to disintegration of communities.