Big box, bad business?

Four trips to IKEA (in Richmond), three to Home Depot (in Richmond and at Terminal) and countless shuttles back and forth between the old place and the new condo, and our home is almost ready for its very first sleepover.

I covered countless North Shore city council meetings over the course of my career in journalism. It was there that I first encountered the really deepseated loathing that some (mostly self-appointed) custodians of urban heritage held for big box stores.

Usually, people complained about the impact of the stores on local small businesses, increased traffic congestion and a general sense that big corporations are evil vampires. The same sort of arguments cropped up a little while back when Vancouver rejected Wal-Mart.

Actually, I do sympathize somewhat with the opponents of these outlets. Their arguments weren't just pulled out of thin air. (To read some impact statements about IKEA, click here. For Home Depot's suggested impact on one community, click here).

With their low prices and excellent selection, these mega-outlets do leave Mom-and-Pop stores with few options. Whoever suggested that small stores could hang on to their customers with better service is living in a dreamworld; the workers at big box retailers in the suburbs are at least as competent and friendly as any of the staff I've encountered in small shops in Vancouver.
Still, I'm a consumer. The negative aspects these stores may be in the back of my mind, but I'm basically looking for a quality product at a good price, sold to me with friendly service. So long as the big boxes provide all that, I'll keep going there.

Judging by the mass of humanity that joined me in the aisles at IKEA today, I'm not the only one.

Good luck, Little Guy. You're going to need it.

tags: IKEA, big box, Vancouver, Richmond, Wal-Mart, corporations, Home Depot, retailers