This is Your Wake-up Call

Superstores are endangering all small businesses

Superstores are endangering all small businesses.

Over the last couple of years I’ve seen many superstores opening all over, in small towns, cities and the like. Back in the day, when you went shopping for groceries, you went to a grocery store to buy groceries; if you wanted bargain clothes, there was Wal-Mart. Now it seems like all these superstores are carrying everything possible.

In the past consumers would take, say a Saturday, and make their stops, they would go out of their way to purchase food items at particular places, like the mom and pop bakery, deli, and pizzeria. Now these superstores are making it so convenient for the consumer so they only have to make one stop.

Big stores are even selling fresh pizzas to take home.

The Wal-Marts, Zehr’s and Costcos are moving in on all independently-owned businesses and making it rough for self-employed people who are offering consumers something a little different. Since when does Costco know how to make pizza? I mean they are in the market of selling housewares, bulk groceries and electronics, now they are even selling fresh pizzas to take home – “take and bake.” I’m sorry but I don’t see why they should be selling fresh pizzas when it clearly takes the food out of our mouths and nobody realizes it. Zehr’s is another one, they sell electronics in their grocery store, what does that have to do with groceries?

What consumers don’t realize is that for every action there is a consequence. In this case, I think the consequences will be detrimental to our way of life. In the past a person would set out a go to Zehr’s for groceries, Costco or Wal-Mart for bargain household goods and clothes. When all shopping is done, instead of calling they’re local pizzeria for a pizza, they don’t because they just picked up an 18-inch take and bake pizza with pepperoni from Costco ($13.99) or wherever and are having dinner. Well, that’s one less pizza we won’t be making.

It’s bad enough with frozen pizzas cutting into our market, the dairy farmers keep raising their prices every year and now we have to compete against these superstores! That’s BS. There should be some rules for these superstores that are opening and have them only sell what they should be selling and leave some things alone, like pizza and bread for starters. These superstores are endangering all small businesses in every city and town across Canada. For crying out loud, Wal-Mart sells groceries now!

I personally don’t like the way things are going, these superstores will eventually close down a lot of small businesses, and when these particular little pizzerias, restaurants and bakeries close their doors because they can’t compete with the big guys, the only thing left will be the superstores, and I guarantee they will then have cornered every market and raise their prices. So what’s next? Will Blockbuster put pizzerias in their stores? How about restaurants in Costco or, better yet, a bakery in Best Buy. Would you like a loaf of bread with that TV?

Canada wake up! We are going to get hit hard in the future if we don’t step up to the plate to protect everything we work so hard for. Money isn’t the only thing that makes the world go round.•