Upzoned Can We Take Community Wealth Back From Walmart and Kroger?
Mar 19, 2025
Join Edward Erfurt, Director of Community Action at Strong Towns, as he dives into the impact of large supermarkets on food deserts. Discover how policy changes in the 1980s allowed corporate giants to overshadow local grocers, altering neighborhood dynamics. Edward shares grassroots strategies for reviving community access to fresh food, including repurposing fridges for sharing and supporting local markets. Their conversation sheds light on building resilient communities and reclaiming wealth from corporate giants.
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Family Grocery Story
- Edward Erfurt's family owned a meat market and grocery store, a neighborhood staple during the Great Depression.
- They sold the business in the 1980s due to increasing pressures, coinciding with the policy changes discussed.
Shifting Role of Grocers
- Corner stores were once integral parts of neighborhoods, not specialty shops.
- Cars have made regional destinations more accessible, shifting grocery stores away from neighborhood-oriented models.
Money Circulation and Local Economies
- National grocery chains extract wealth from communities, unlike local stores that circulate money locally.
- Policies should encourage economic resilience by supporting businesses that keep wealth within the community.