I have a cousin who lives in a far flung exurb of Los Angeles (Palmdale / Lancaster area) that's populated by marginally middle class people. Classic insecure cohort of "drive 'till you qualify" home ownership types. A proposed Walmart drew the ire of local residents who demanded the city deny the permit. They wanted a Whole Foods on that site instead. Whole Foods replied that the demographic wouldn't support their business model. Walmart knew they would thrive. Class signifiers... The Walmart was built and has, in fact, done very well.
Your piece reminded me of something that irks me a little: wherever I live, citizens get mad at their local government for the location of the Trader Joe's. "They should have put a Trader Joe's at ____." That's up to the local government???
I have a cousin who lives in a far flung exurb of Los Angeles (Palmdale / Lancaster area) that's populated by marginally middle class people. Classic insecure cohort of "drive 'till you qualify" home ownership types. A proposed Walmart drew the ire of local residents who demanded the city deny the permit. They wanted a Whole Foods on that site instead. Whole Foods replied that the demographic wouldn't support their business model. Walmart knew they would thrive. Class signifiers... The Walmart was built and has, in fact, done very well.
Your piece reminded me of something that irks me a little: wherever I live, citizens get mad at their local government for the location of the Trader Joe's. "They should have put a Trader Joe's at ____." That's up to the local government???