Pulling the plug

A friend suggested a while back that I blog about how Wal-Mart is pulling out of many communities, after driving local businesses out as well. Bloomberg Business has an interesting article on just that.

What's really sad is that a Wal-Mart is closing in one place where it's truly needed: Kimball WV in the state's poorest county of McDowell, which is known among other things for its food deserts. The Spousal Unit and I often rant about the retail giant, but we agree that the Kimball one gets a pass. Too bad they're pulling the plug. A lot of things just won't be available there in a place where travel is hard and people don't have much to spend.

Due to a decades-long decline in coal employment, McDowell has hit hard already. It really didn't need another hit. Wal-Mart no doubt killed local businesses. I'm not sure what will take its place.