Wal-Mart to Expand Grocery Operations in the St. Louis Market

I remember when Wal-Mart came to small town America. Lou Pineville (not his real name) owned a small hardware store in a town with a population of about 3,000 in Eastern Missouri. The hardware store was a small buff brick building that his father had built some 50 years earlier. He had carved his name in the concrete near the front door of the place. The inside of the store was dark, dusty, and unbelievably crammed full of all kinds of hardware. Mostly the small stuff that you used everyday like wooden bins full of nails and screws and fasteners. There was also a good selection of hammers, screwdrivers, plumbing supplies, and some power equipment. Outside of the store, in a back lot, was some industrial equipment for rent: an old backhoe, some rakes, and power drills. In the front of the store sat some heavy bags of concrete, driveway sealer, and mulch. Five aluminum canoes were stacked on top of each other right by the front door. You had to watch your step when you entered the place, as the first step was unmarked and pretty steep. You also had to watch your head while walking around inside. As a matter of fact, it was better not to walk around at all because you probably wouldn't be able to find anything anyway. It was better to just ask Lou or one of his two sons to get it for you. If he didn't have it in stock, then Lou would look into one of his thick, dusty hardware catalogs stacked by the front counter near the display of hunting knives and the "World's Strongest Glue' and order it for you. That usually took about three days.