When it comes to shopping in America, "big box" stores dominate the market and the landscape. The term comes from the fact that these superstores (such as Costco, Target and Wal-Mart) are large, windowless structures that occupy anywhere from 50,000 to 200,000 square feet. These one-stop shops can change towns for better or worse, and a new (and free) online tool from the Orton Family Foundation attempts to help communities learn what might happen when one moves in. Called the Big Box Evaluator, it lets a user enter information about a community to see what effects the store could have. The site breaks those down into four categories: economy, environment, society and visual.
The foundation says that while the stores can offer lower prices, more jobs and tax revenue, they can also hurt local merchants and create traffic problems. The foundation says it is not trying to take sides: "This site is intended to help you think about and analyze the big picture: facts as well as judgments; statistics as well as feelings. Our hope is that it will help you feel confident and informed when you make your own decisions about big box retail in your community." (Read more)
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