The world doesn't end, but it does have an impact on business. I guess competition is what makes the world go 'round. On the other hand, there's already been some backlash against the monolithic store. Compare the first King Kullen, which was a humble 6,000 square feet and carried a thousand items, to some of today's giants, which sprawl across 100,000 square feet and carry 30,000 to 40,000 varieties of products. It takes too much time to shop.
Time is really the driver to what goes on today.
Time has also motivated many people to shop at nearby convenience stores - in some cases, the contemporary equivalent to the neighborhood market. Yet another beneficiary from this mega-store backlash is the limited assortment store, or box store. Places like Larson's SuperValu also benefit. As the only independently owned supermarket in Fargo-Moorhead, Larson's is still a manageable 26,000 square feet. Larson, active in the West Fargo community, is known to many of his customers.